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I LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.} 

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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. J 



DISCOURSES 



ON 



CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE 



v 

ELDER JAMES MAPLE, 

f | 

Pastor of the Christian Church at Franklin, Ohio. 



SPRINGFIELD, OHIO: 
Published at the gospel herald office. 
18 5 1. 





M. 1 











'to 



PREFACE 



These Discourses were originally prepared for the pulpit, and 
are now given to the public with the hope that they may be in- 
strumental, under the blessing of Heaven, of doing good. My 
object is to awaken thought — to arouse men to reflection, and 
lead them to God — to instruct the mind, improve the heart, 
and make man better. 

Tn some of the discourses I had occasion to investigate the 
views of others ; but I have endeavored to do it impartially, and 
in a Christian spirit. I have labored to "speak the truth in 
love," 

The character of Christ, and the great, work which lie came 
to accomplish, has long been a subject of study with me, and 
I now give to the public the resnlt. of my labors. I do not 
claim perfection. I have only presented in these discourses 
what I believe to be nearer the truth than any thing I have ever 
seen. I am only a learner in the school of Christ. I do not 
wish to speak dogmatically, where the greatest and best minds 
that ever adorned the Church have differed. I only desire to 
lead men to the investigation of divine truth, and to the recep- 
tion of the Spirit of Christ. 

What has lead to the publishing of this work, at this time, 
is the failure of my health. Disease has compelled me to leave 
the walls of Zion ; but 1 have not lost my interest in, and love 
for the cause of my beloved Savior. I still desire to be useful 
to my fellow-men, and I have concluded to preach to them 



vi 



PREFACE. 



through 1 l.o press, ns this is now the only medium through which 
\ can preach to sinners. 

Actuated by the purest motives, T now send forth this little 
work on its mission of love, with the earnesl prayer, il.nt it may 
be the means of doing good to my fellow men. 

JAMES MAPLE. 

Franklin, May, 1851. 



CO^TEjXTS. 



DISCOURSE 1. 

The Divinity of Christ, 1 

DISCOURSE II. 

A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement, , .12 

DISCOURSE III. 

An Examination of the Popular Doctrins of the Atonement, 24 

DISCOURSE IV. 

The Incarnation of Chr-ist, . .- • - . 34 

DISCOURSE V. 

The Atonement^ ..... 47 

D IS COURSE VI. 

The various Purposes to be Accomplished by the Mes- 
siah's Death, ..... 63 

DISCOURSE VII. 

The Mediation of Christ, .... 77 

DISCOURSE VIII. 

The Propitiatory and Righteousness of God, . . 95 

DISCOURSE IX. 

Forgiveness, ....... 106 



vm 



CONTENl 3 



DISCOURSE X. 

Regeneration, . . . . . .118 

DISCOURSE XI. 

The Resurrection of tke Lead, . . . 134 

DISCOURSE X1J. 

Til© Resurrection of the Dead, . . < .146 

DISCOURSE XIII. 

immortality, . . . . . .158 

DISCO U USE XIV. 

Tins Life a Stale ol Probation, . . . 17 1 

DISCOURSE XV. 

The Philosophy of Prayer, . • 

DISCOURSE XVh. 

The Reasonableness of Christianity, 

DISCOURSE XVII. 

The Foundation oi the Christian's Love, . . 'J05 



182 
173 



DISCOURSE I. 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 

i cor. xv : 47. 
The second man is the Lord from heaven. 

Jesus Christ is the great founder of the Christian 
Religion, the author of our salvation, and our only hope 
of the redemption of a lost world. He fills the highest 
offices, and to his hand is intrusted the greatest work ever 
intrusted to any of Xh'Q intelligences of the universe, so 
far as we are acquainted. It is interesting and important, 
then, that we should have correct Scriptural views of his 
person and character. Our text points to a great fact in 
his history. It informs us that this world is not his na- 
tive home — that he did not take his origin in the days of 
Augustus Csesar — but that "he is the Lord from heaven. " 
Jesus Christ existed with his Father, anterior to his ap- 
pearance on earth, as a spiritual intelligence distinct 
from God. 

There is some diversity of opinion among the learned 
upon this subject. Dr. Watts taught, that it was the hu- 
man soul of Christ that existed with God "before the 
world was and that it was to this soul that God said, 

"Let us make man in our image," According to Watts* 
1 



2 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



man was made in the image of Christ's human soul. Some- 
deny the pre-existence of Christ ; but it is obvious, to my 
mind, that Christ had a personal existence ''before the 
foundation of the world." Hence, the language of the 
text — "The second man is the Lord from Heaven." The 
argument of the Apostle in this chapter is based on the 
heavenly origin and superhuman character of Christ ; and 
if he had no personal existence before he was born of the 
Virgin Mary, how could it be said, he "is the Lord from 
heaven ?" 

The offices and character of Christ imply that he is of 
divine origin, and possesses more- than human or angelic 
dignity. Pie spake and acted as though he was more than 
a man, and conscious of his superiority to all around him. 
There is a dignity and grandeur about him that is pecu- 
liar to him alone. "Never man spake like this man." 
There is an authority about him altogether peculiar, that 
cannot be reconciled with the idea that he is a mere man, 
and was speaking to his equals. 

The spotless purity of Christ creates a broad distinction 
between him and all human beings. "In him is no sin." 
"He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." 
"He did no sin, neither w r as guile found in his mouth." 
This is something that cannot be accounted for by differ- 
ence in circumstances or education. To be absolutely 
free from sin, is to be something more than any human 
being ever has been since the fall of Adam. The immac- 
ulate purity of Christ cannot be reconciled with the idea 
that he is a being of human origin. This is something 
that cannot be expected of man in this life. 

The offices which Christ sustains as Savior of the- 
■world, the one mediator between God and man, the Prince- 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST, 



3 



of life, the JuJge of all men, is incompatible with the 
3 dea of simple humanity. Do these offices belong to 
one who needs a Savior and mediator himself — one who 
lias sins to pardon ?— for this must have been the case 
with Christ, if he was simply a man. The offices which 
lie fills, imply that he is more than human. 

The mission which Christ filled, as Savior of the world, 
was the highest that any of the intelligences of the uni- 
verse ever filled, and the greatest in its results of all the 
works that God ever intrusted to any of his children. It 
seems but reasonable and natural to suppose, that for so 
lofty a function God would select the highest and noblest 
among the dignitaries of heaven, rather than a mere man. 

Some of the titles given to Christ imply that he is more 
than a man. He is styled the "Son of God." This title 
is given to angels and men ; but it is applied to Christ in 
a different sense. He is styled the ''-only begotten Son of 
God" This title is never applied to any other intelli- 
gence. This fact seems to designate a rank superior to 
that of any other being in the universe. 

It is obvious, from the above considerations, that the 
Messiah possessed more than human dignity — that he "is 
the Lord from heaven," the "first-born of every creature. M 
But this doctrine has a stronger foundation than mere 
inferences from the manner of his teaching, his spotless 
purity, the offices which he fills, the great work that is in- 
trusted to his hands, and the titles that are given him. 
The Redeemer himself teaches this great truth. In his 
conversation with Nicodemus he said, "No man hath as- 
cended up to heaven, but he that came down from hea- 
ven" This was spoken prior to his ascension to heaven. 
It follows, then, as a necessary sequence, that he must 



i 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



have existed tffith the Father anterior to his birth, in iKfl 
days of Caesar, else he could not have said, that he "came 
down from heaven." John the Baptist said of Christ, 
"i7e that comeih from heaven, is above all." If Christ 
had not existed in heaven, how could "he have come 
down from heaven?" He said to his disciples, "What 
and if ye see the Sbn of man ascend up where he was be- 
fore?" Pie is here speaking of his ascension to heaven*? 
and informs us that this is "where he was before" he came 
into the world. This language is too unequivocal an4 
explicit to be misunderstood. It clearly teaches his pre* 
existence. In a conversation with the Jews, Christ ''said 
unto them, — If God were your Father, ye would love me : 
for I proceeded forth and came from God ; neither came 1 
of myself, but he sent me." Now, if Christ "proceeded 
forth and came from God," he must have existed with him, 
Again, he said to the Jews, "Before Abraham was, I ah.'' 
Christ was not born into the world until many centuries 
after Abraham's death, yet he asserts that he was "before 
Abraham" — consequently he must have existed with his 
Father anterior to his birth in the days of Augustus Cae- 
sar. "I came forth frpm the Father, and came into the 
world," said Christ. Again : "I leave the 8 world, and go 
to the Father." This language as clearly proves that he 
existed with the Father before he came into the world, as 
it does that he existed in this world before he left it. and 
went to his Father. In solemn prayer to his Father he 
said, "0 Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, 
with the glory which I had with thee before the world 
was." How could Christ have a glory with the Father 
"before the world was," unless he existed with him before 
the^creation of the world ? In the same prayeF, he said, 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



s 



"As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I sent 
them (the disciples) into the world." The disciples for 
whom Christ was praying, existed with him before he sent 
them into the world to preach the Gospel ; and as he uses 
the same language in reference to himself, he must also 
have existed with God before he "sent him into the 
world.' 6 Again he said, "Thou lovest me before the foun- 
dation of the world." If Christ did not exist with God 
"before the world was," how could he have loved him 
"before the foundation of the world ?" It is impossible 
to love a being that has no existence.'* 

The Gospel of St. John opens with the following stri- 
king language . "In the beginning was the Word, and the 
Word was with God, and the Word was God, The same 
was in the beginning with God." Here Christ is repre- 
sented as being "with God in the beginning/'' or creation 
of the world. That John here alludes to the creation of 
the world, is obvious from the fact, that in the next vers© 
he says, "All things were made by him." Paul uses the 
same language to denote the creation of the world. "Thou 

c c 

Lord, in the beginning, hast laid the foundation of the 
earth ; and the heavens are the works of thine hands." It 
is obvious from the face of this text, that Paul is speak- 
ing of the creation of the world. Now, if Christ was 
with God in the creation of the world, he must have had 
a personal existence anterior to his birth into the world. 

To his Corinthian brethren Paul said, "Ye know the 
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was ricb 5 
yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his 
poverty might be rich." The Apostle here affirms that 
Christ was rich. The question then arises, where and 
when ? Was it in this world ? Nay. He was born of 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



poor parents, and never acquired any riches* If he teas 
rich, it must have been anterior to his advent into the? 
world. The obvious sense of the Apostle's language is, 
that to accomplish man's salvation, Christ passed from a 
richer to a poorer, from a higher to an humbler state ; from 
heaven to earth, from the society of angels to the society 
of sinful man. Hence, said Paul, "Let this mind be in 
you which was also in Christ Jesus ; who being in the 
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God ; 
but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him 
the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of 
men." From this important passage, we learn; 1st. That 
Christ was "in the form of God." 2d. That he "took on 
him the form of a servant/' 3d. That he was "in the 
form of God' 7 before he "took on himself the form of a 
servant." When did Christ take the form of a servant? 
Paul answers, when he "was made in the likeness of 
men." It follows, then, that he was "in the form of God" 
anterior to his coming into the world. 

I will quote another striking affirmation from the wri- 
tings of Paul : He (Christ) is before all things" In this 
connection Paul is speaking of "all things that are in 
heaven, and that are in earth," and then asserts that Christ 
is "before all things" that are "in heaven and in earth." 
This proves, to a demonstration, the pre-existence of 
Christ. 

John says, "The word w T as made flesh." This implies, 
that Christ existed before he was made flesh. For in- 
stance : Louis Phillippe was made king of France. This 
implies that he had a distinct personal existence before 
lie was made king. The above language as strongly im- 
plies that the Word had a personal existence before he 
"was made flesh." 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



7 



In his pre-existent state, Christ possessed a nature su- 
perior to the holy angels : "For verily he took not on 
him the nature of angels ; but he took'on him the seed of 
Abraham." This implies that he possessed a dignity su- 
perior to the angels of Heaven : "In him dwelleth all 
the fullness of the Godhead bodily; for it pleased the 
Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Next to 
the infinite Jehovah, he is the highest intelligence in the 
universe, and possesses a nature far superior to that of the 
tallest angel that burns in the presence of the eternal 
throne — he is the brightest jewel in heaven. 

It was by Christ that God created the worlds, and, 
through his agency, called into existence the material 
universe. "All things were made by him, and without 
him was not any thing made that was .made. God created 
all things by Christ; by him also he made the worlds." 
But the Scriptures ascribe to our Savior a loftier function 
than the creation of a perishing universe. This is not 
his highest and noblest work. The thrones, principal!- 
•ties, and powers ; the ranks and distinctions in tho spir- 
itual universe, whether seen or unseen, whether apostles, 
pastors, and teachers among men ; or those angelic beings 
who occupy the highest places nearest the throne — first 
in song and dignity among the hosts of Heaven. Their 
dignities, their thrones, their powers, their honors, and 
their glories are his creation. He ordains shepherds after 
his own heart on earth; calls and commissions his own 
ministers ; and he assigns to -each his place, his sphere in 
heaven. He governs all, and, through him, the great 
family of God in heaven, and earth, are bound together 
as one : "For by him were all things created that are in 
lieaven, and that aae in earth, visible and invisible^ 



8 THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 

i 

whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, 
or powers : all things were created by him, and for him ; 
he is before all things* and by him all things consist ; and 
he is the head of the body — the Church ; who is the be- 
ginning, the first born from the dead; that in all things 
he might have the pre-eminence." This place, as Prince 
and head of God's spiritual kingdom, the Scriptures with 
one voice accord to Christ ; and we gratefully re-ech^ 
the ecstatic ascription of those in heaven,, who sing, 
"Worthy is the Lamb that w r as slain to receive power, 
and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and 
glory, and blessing." 

" Worthy is the Lamb that died," the angels cry, 

"To be exalted thus;" 
** Worthy the Lamb," ouj' lips reply, 

"For he was slain for us." 

Christ is the Son of God in his divine nature. H> 
sustained the relation of a son to his Father in his pre- 
existent state. "God so loved the world that he gave 
his only-begotten Son." This implies that he was th© 
Son of God before he came into the world, and did not be- 
come such by coming into the world. "When the fullness 
of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a wo- 
man." Who was it that " God sent forth ? " "His son/' 
He must, then, have been His soft before he was sent. The 
Son of God was manifested that h 3 might destroy the works 
of the devil." This implies that he was the Son of God 
prior to his manifestation in the flesh. We have seen that 
God created the world by his Son ; he must, then, hava 
been the Son of God anterior to the creation of the world. 

Christ is the perfect image of God — "The brightness 
of his glory, and the express image of his person." Hs 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



"is the image of the invisible God." He bore the express 
image of the physical and moral attributes of God. He 
spake the words and wrought the works of God. He re- 
vealed the things of God to man. His works manifest 
supernatural power in every department of nature. The 
stormy sea obeyed his commands, and the winds hushed 
into stillness at the sound of his voice ; the bread in the 
desert grew beneath his touch, and the water blushed to 
wine at his command ; he opened the eyes of the blind , 
loosed the tongue of the dumb, unstopped the ears of 
the deaf, poured the tide of health through the palsied 
limbs, caused the lame to leap with gladness, restored 
health to the dying, broke the slumbers of the tomb, and 
called the dead forth to life. By his mighty works he 
laid bare the ami of Omnipotence, revealed the hidings 
of divine power, and wrought, without any intermediate 
agency, the most stupendous works. By these miracles 
lie represents to our faith, and brings home to our hearts, 
the divine Omnipotence. The works of Christ enable us 
to repose on the arm of Jehovah. When we contemplate 
his mighty works, we feel that the vast universe is not 
under its own control ; that its giant forces are governed 
and controlled by Him who takes cognizance of the fall 
of a sparrow, and 'numbers the hairs of our head. The 
mighty works of our Savior rebuke our dependency, and 
enable us to calmly repose our trust in that Providence 
that orders all things well and eood for the intelligent 

c c c 

universe. 

Christ is revealed as the image of the divine Omnis- 
cience. He brings to us from the infinite treasure of wisdom 
and knowledge, all that we need to know to secure ou? 
salvation. He speaks with authority — declares ih<a 



10 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



things that he has seen with God — brings revelations 
from heaven, and reveals the mind of Jehovah. His 
teachings are not inferences and deductions from a pre- 
vious course of argument; but they are declarations of 
eternal truth — thranscripts of the infinite mind. "In 
him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," 
Christ is the image of the moral character of God. 
He is a transcript of the divine character. In him we 
behold the goodness, mercy, love, benevolence, forgive- 
ness, and justice of God. Heisperfeci. When we read 
the history of Christ we are conscious that w r e are con:- 
muning with spotless purity, w r ith absolute perfection. 
He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sin- 
ners." In him centered all those virtues that can adorn 
human nature and embellish the human heart. Man has 
never been able to think of anything that would add to 
his character. 

"No mortal can with him compare. 

Among the sons of men; 
Fairer is he than all the fair, 

That fill the heavenly train. " 

Christ left the bosom of his father, the society of the 
immortal spirits around the eternal throne, turned his 
back upon the honors and dignities of heaven, "made 
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of 
a servant, and was made in the likeness of men : and be- 
ing found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and 
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 
This was all done for the salvation of man. "He hath 
loved us, and hath given himself for us, that he might re- 
deem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a pe- 
culiar people, zealous of good works." 



THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 



1 I 



"With pitying eyes the Prince of Grace 

Beheld our helpless grief; 
He saw, and (0, amazing love ! ) 

He flew to our relief. 

"Down from the shining seats above, 

With joyful haste he fled; 
Enter' d the grave, in mortal flesh, 

And dwelt among the dead." 

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time 
Christ died for the ungodly. For, scarcely for a righteous 
man will one die ; yet, peradventure, for a good man 
some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his 
love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ 
died for us." Here is the greatest exhibition of love 
that was ever made to the world. It has no parallel in 
the history of the universe. The angels, archangels, the 
cherubim and seraphim of heaven contemplate this glo- 
rious exhibition of infinite love with wonder and amaze- 
ment. " And I beheld, and heard the voice of many an- 
gels around about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders: 
and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thou- 
sand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud 
voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive pow- 
er, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and 
glory, and blessings." 

"His love, what mortal thought can reach. ! 

What mortal tongue display ! 
Imagination's utmost streich, 

In wonder dies away." 

Now, "unto him that loved us, and washed us from our 
sins in his own blood ; and hath made us kings and priests 
unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion 
forever and ever. Even so — Amen." 



DISCOURSE II. 



A HISTORY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 

PSALMS xxv : 5. 

Lend me into thy truth, and leach me : for thou art the God 
of my salvation: on thee I wait all the day. 

In the teachings of Christ and the apostles, we have a 
beautiful and sublime system of religion, embracing theo* 
ry and example— precept and practice — doctrine and 
worship. Here we find Christianity in its original purity, 
unadulterated by the dreams, notions and superstition of 
man. Here she rises up before the mind of the Bible 
student, adorned in all her native charms, as a grand, 
sublime, and perfect system of divine truth, having God 
for its author, Christ for its exemplifier, and the salvation 
and ultimate happiness of man for its object. Here the 
stream flows in all its native purity; but as we follow it 
down from the days of Christ and the apostles, we find its 
pure and placid waters soon disturbed by the productions 
of man. As we advance along down the stream, we find 
turbid little rivulets, the productions of heathen philoso- 
phy, flowing into it ; and, the farther we advance, the lar- 
ger and more numerous they are. They increase in num- 
ber, depth and murkiness, until the whole stream of truth 



A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 



is polluted. It is painful to the lover of the Bible to 
contemplate the awful corruptions that were introduced 
into the church. Early in the Christian era a dark cloud 
began to arise and spread over the mental, spiritual, and 
theological horizon of the world. At first, it was only in 
appearance like a man's hand ; but it soon grew in breadth 
and thickness. It rolled up its dark folds until the moral 
and intellectual heavens were shrouded in midnight dark" 
ness and gloom. It wes only heie and there that the 
heavenly rays of the sun of righteousness rendered more 
brilliant by the surrounding gloom, penetrated the dark 
cloud. From the fall of the western empire to the days 
of Luther, Zwinglis and Malancthon, the empire of mind 
was shrouded in Tartarian darkness, 

Catholicism, sable goddess ! from her ebon throne, 

In rayless majesty, stretched forth 

Her leaden sceptre o'er a slumbering world. 

"Darkness covered the earth" and gross darkness the 
minds of the people, Legendary stories, metaphysical 
speculations, on trifling and unprofitable subjects, foolish 
and unmeaning ceremonies, borrowed from Pagan my- 
thology, pilgrimages to the tombs of saints, the worship- 
ping of images, pictures, saints and angels had taken the 
place of the pure doctrine of Christ, the spiritual and 
elevating worship of Christianity. 

The Oracles Divine, 
By superstition veiPd, refus'd to shine, 
Philosophers turn'd priests, baptiz'd their love* 
And Christian call'd what Pagan was before : 
Took some from Gentile books, and some from Jew., 
Compounded, mix'd, identified the two; 
Took some from Christ to sanctify their shame, 
Then Call'd the monster by the Christian name! 



14 A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 

Then roll'd the ling' ring ages dark and drear, 
There revel' d vice, reign* d superstition here : 
Fictions and fables, daily multiplied, 
Upheav'd corruptions, ever-heaving tide; 
Still more it swell' d as grew the love of gold, 
And onward whirl' d, the ghostly torrent roll'd. 
Rolling it swell' d, and ran as deep as wide, 
As high as deep plung'd on the head-long tide; 
As vile as wide it grew, as foul as deep, 
As dark as high, convolving up the steep; 
Till gatlrring to a mass imperial grown, 
It rul'd the subject world from Caesar's throne ! 

The corruptions of Christianity, both of doctrine and 
practice, were insidiously introduced into the church, 
They were brought in by degrees, and are the growth of 
ages. The first step was but a slight advancement; but 
this laid the foundation for the second which was a still 
greater advancement ; and the second prepared the way 
for the third ; thus the work progressed, until ignorance 
and superstition reigned triumphantly. It was in this 
manner that praying for the dead, worshipping the saints, 
adoring pictures and images, were introduced into the 
church. It was the doctrine of heathen philosophy that 
the souls of the dead hovered about the graves of their 
dead bodies, and were sensible of any attention paid to 
them. Receiving this opinion from the disciples of the 
porch and academy, the primitive christians soon advan- 
ced one step farther, and began to consider them, not on- 
ly as present with them and sensible of any attention 
paid to them, but also as still members of their society 
and objects of their prayer, as they had been when alive. 
It was also a custom among the early Christians to meet 
together at the graves of their departed friends, not to 



A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 



15 



worship them, but because they supposed that their devo- 
tional feelings were sensibly excited by the place. From 
the principle of association, they w T ere naturally led to 
reflect much upon the departed saints, and believing them 
to be sensible of all attention paid to them, they were 
naturally led to consider them as objects of their prayers. 
Here originated the practice of praying for the dead. 

It was also an early custom among the primitive Chris- 
tians to meet annually at the graves of the martyrs, to 
make offerings in the name of the deceased, as an ac- 
knowledgment that they still considered them as members 
of their respective churches, and we find that they had a 
method of excommunicating them even after death. From 
the respect paid to martyrs, they soon came to consider 
them as being brought so near to God as to have no need 
of their prayers ; but as having nearer access to God than 
the living. From this they soon passed from praying for 
them to praying to them. As the Chrtstians were wont 
to meet at the tombs of the saints to worship, it naturally 
led them when the empire became Christian, to erect tern* 
pies at the graves of the saints. This naturally -suggest- 
ed the necessity of having the pictures of the saints in 
the churches, to whose honor they were erected ; and also 
pictures to represent the principal acts of their lives. This 
paved the way for the introduction of the pictures and 
images of Christ, and led the worshippers from the wor- 
ship of saints to the worship of their images ; and from 
the worship of Christ to the adoration of his picture or 
image. 

I have introduced this subject to show the manner m 
which the corruptions, both of doctrine and worship, were 
introduced into the Church of Christ. They are the 



16 



A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 



growth of ages. The doctrine of vicarious atonement-, 
trinity, and total depravity, were introduced into the 
church by degrees; and they may all be traced back to 
the heathen philosophy, introduced into the church by the 
conversion of some of the disciples of Plato. 

It was many ages from the days of Christ and his 
Apostles before the popular doctrine of vicarious atone- 
ment assumed its present form, and was traced to its le- 
gitimate results. It is the growth of centuries. In the 
writings of the Christian fathers immediately following 
the Apostles, we find no traces of a vicarious atonement. 
They speak of our Savior's sufferings and death, in the 
figurative language of the New Testament, but never 
speak of them as a vicarious atonement. They invaria- 
bly represent God as freely pardoning the sinner, on the 
condition of his repentance and reformation. Clemens 
Romanus says, "Let us search in all ages that have gone 
before, and let us learn that the Lord has, in every one of 
them, still given place for repentance to such as w r ould 
turn to him." He then introduces the preaching of Noah 
to the old world, and of Jonah to the Ninevites, of whom, 
he says, "Howbeit they, repenting of their sins, appeased 
God by their prayer, and were saved, though they were 
strangers to the covenant of God." Again he remarks, 
"And especially let them learn how great a power humil- 
ity has with God ; how much a pure and holy charity 
avails with him ; how excellent and great his fear is ; and 
how it will save all such as turn to him in holiness, in a 
pure mind." The writings of all the fathers during the 
first and second centuries, are consonant with the above 
language. 

In the controversies that sprang up immediately follow- 



A ErSTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 



ing the apostolic age, we find no mention of a vicarious 
atonement. This is a remarkable fact ; for these contro* 
versies were of such a nature as to naturally call out this 
sentiment, if it had been held by the primitive Christians 
as an essential part of the Christian system. We find 
•not even the slightest traces of it in any of the ancient 
summaries of the Christian doctrine, Justin Martyr, 
Athenagoras, and Tertullian, wrote apologies for the Chris- 
tian religion, and gave an account of the principal doc- 
trines of Christianity ; but they make no mention of a 
vicarious atonement. Lactantius treats professedly of 
the Christian system, as it was received in his age ; but he 
no where mentions this doctrine. In his divine hntiiU' 
lions, he treats of the nature of sin, the mercy of God, and 
the efficacy of repentance, as if he had never heard of any 
such doctrine as vicarious atonement. 

About the close of the second century we find that the 
Christian fathers began to understand the figurative lan- 
guage of the New Testament, in reference to the death 
of Christ and the salvation of man, in a more literal 
sense. They began to interpret the passages in which 
the terms redemption, purchased, and bought occur in 
a literal manner ; but they had no idea that Christ pur- 
chased us from the justice of God, The prevalent idea 
in the time of risen and Austin was, that Christ pur- 
chased us literally ; but it was from the devil, and to him 
the price was paid, and not to God. Origen says : "If ye 
were bought with a price, as Paul affirnis, we must have 
been bought from some person whose slaves we were, 
who also demanded what price he pleased, that he might 
dismiss from his power those which he held. But it was 

the devil that held us* For to him we had been given 
2 



IS- A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 

over for our sins. Whereupon, he demanded the blood' 
of Christ as the price of our redemption." Ambrose, 
says : "We were pledged to a bad creditor for sin. Christ 
came, and offered his blood for us." Austin wrote in de- 
fence of the doctrine, and it appears that this was the 
general opinion down to the age of the schoolmen. 

About two hundred and fifty years after the time of 
Austin, we meet with the writings of Gregory the Great, 
who was the most distinguished writer of his time. He had 
no well digested system of atonement, and was far from 
having any consistent notions of vicarious sacrifice. He 
contended for the necessity of some expiation, but, at the 
same time says, that our salvation might have been effect- 
ed by Christ in some other way than by his death. He 
says, "The rust of sin could not be purged without the 
fire of torment ; Christ, therefore, came without fault,, 
that he might subject himself to voluntary torment, that 
he might bear the punishment due to our sins." He re- 
marks further : . " Christ might have assisted us without 
suffering, for that he who made us, could deliver us from 
suffering without his own death. But he chose this meth- 
od, because by it he shewed more love to us." 

The nearest approach that w r e find to the doctrine of a 
vicarious atonement is in the ninth century. It comes 
nearer the popular doctrine on this subject than anything 
that we find before this period. Theodorus Abucara, a 
Greek writer, says : "God,, by his judgments, demanded, 
of us all things that are witten in the law, which we 
could not pay ; the Lord paid for us, taking upon himself 
the curse and condemnation to which we were obnoxious." 
Again he. says, "Christ, the mediator, reconciled us to 
God." 



A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 



19 



But even down as late as the eleventh century the doc- 
trine of vicarious atonement was not clearly defined and 
fixed, if we are to judge from the writings of Anselm, 
who was the ablest writer of his time. He says, "That 
of the innumerable other methods, by which God, being 
omnipotent, might have saved men, he chose the death of 
Christ, that by it he might, at the same time, manifest his 
love to men." Again, he asks, "Was the Father so an- 
gry with men, that unless the Son had died for us, he 
would not be appeased ? No : For the Father hath lov- 
ed us even when we were in our sins." In the twelfth cen- 
tury we find nothing more ssttled than in the age of An- 
selm. Peter Lombard, the greatest authority in the school 
of theology, before the appearance of Thomas Aquinas, 
says, "that in the death of Christ, the love of God to- 
wards us is made conspicuous, and by means of it we are 
moved and excited to love God, who has done so much 
for us, and thus we become justified — that is, being free 
from sin, we become righteous. The death of Christ, 
therefore, justifies, because by means of it love is excited 
in our hearts." Even the system of atonement taught 
by Thomas Aquinas, the great oracle and luminary of the 
Latin church, was a mixed one. He says : "In conse- 
quence of sin, man was a debtor to God as a judge, and 
to the devil as a tormentor. And w T ith respect to God, 
justice required that man should be redeemed, but not 
w T ith respect to the devil ; so that Christ paid his blood to 
God, and not to the devil." "It was not naturally impos- 
sible for God," he says, "to be reconciled to man with- 
out the death of Christ ; but this was more convenient, 
as by this means he obtained more and better gifts than 
by the mere will of God." Again, he says, "God might 



20 A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT'. 

have reunited the sins of men by his mere will, hut that 
it is more convenient to clo it by the death of Christ, on 
account of the various uses which it answered at the 
same time,' especially moral ones; and among others he 
mentions our being thereby the more excited to love God, 
and that Christ thereby gave an example of obedience, 
humility* and fortitude," 

When we come down to the age of the reformers we 
find a more definite and fixed system of atonement than 
in any of the preceding ages, The first who separate*} 
from the Roman Catholic Church were the Waldenses, 
an ancient and interesting people in the valleys of Pied* 
mont. In their confession of faith, which was presented 
to the French king in 1544, we find the following lan- 
guage ; "The fathers, to whom Christ was promised, not* 
withstanding their sin and their impotence by the law, 
desired the coming of Christ to satisfy for their sins, and 
to fulfil the law by itself." The next reformer, with 
whom we meet in the history of the church is Wielding 
who was a firm believer in a vicarious atonement. 

After the time of Luther, we find the doctrine of vica- 
rious atonement reduced to a regular system, founded up- 
on certain principles, and carried to its proper extent* 
In the confession of faith presented to the Emperor, 
Charles V, at Augsburg, in 1830, w r e find the assertion 
that "Christ died to reconcile the Father to us, and that 
he might be a true sacrifice forthe guilt not only of origi- 
nal sin, but also for all the actual sins of men." We 
find the same sentiments embodied in the Helvetic Con- 
fession of faith, of the year 1536, and which was approve 
ed by all the Protestant churches of Europe, It is also 
clearly expressed in the Synod of Don, 



A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT, 21 

One great reason for the reformers catching so eagerly 
at the doctrine of a vicarious atonement, and ascribing so 
much to the merits of Christ, was the great abuse that the 
Catholics made of penance, purgatory, and indulgence, 
which were founded on the doctrine of merit It was per- 
fectly natural that in avoiding thLs extreme, the reformers 
should lean to the opposite, and disclaim against all good 
works, and build all hopes of future happiness upon the 
satisfaction that Christ made to the justice of God for us, 
and his righteousness imputed to us. 

The doctrine of a vicarious atonement, though it was 
advocated by the reformers, was not generally received. 
There were some that struck upon a proper medium be- 
tween the Popish doctrine of penance, indulgences, and 
purgatory, and the reformers doctrine of a vicarious atone- 
ment. A distinguished writer of that period says, "We 
are saved, however, from the punishment of our sins by 
Christ, because by his great power in heaven and earth? 
he brings it about, that no punishment can reach us ; and 
by the same power he will accomplish our entire and per- 
petual freedom from death, which is the wages of sin, and 
its principal and peculiar punishment. But this method 
of rescuing us from the punishment of our sins, is very 
different from that which implies a satisfaction for them. 
Nothing can be more repugnant to each other than the 
freedom of pardon and satisfaction. Indeed, no man of 
judgment and piety ought to entertain the idea of satis- 
faction for sin ; since it plainly does very much derogate 
from the power and authority, or the goodness and mer- 
cy of God." 

It is now generally supposed by the advocates of vica- 
rious atonement, that the scene of Christ's meritorious 



22 A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 

sufferings, when he actually bore the sins of men, and suf- 
fered the punishment due to the sins of men, was either in 
the garden, or upon the ignominious cross ; but Calvin 
says, "nothing would have been done by the mere death 
of Christ, if he had not also afterwards descended into 
hell, where he sustained that death which is inflicted by 
an angry God on the wicked." 

The doctrine of a vicarious atonement is held by all 
the orthodox churches of the present day; but there are 
some who reject the idea of Christ's death being accepted in 
lieu of all men, who yet think that his death serves to ex- 
hibit the divine displeasure at sin in such a manner, as 
that it would not have been expedient to pardon the sin- 
ner without it. There are others who think that the death 
of Christ was necessary to the forgiveness of sin, and the 
restoration of man to eternal life; but in what way, is 
not revealed in the Scriptures. There arc still others who 
think Christ died only as a martyr to the truth, as did 
Paul and Peter. 

The doctrine of a vicarious atonement was ages in 
growing to its present form. It was insidiously introduced 
into the church, and it will take time and much labor to 
eradicate it. It is deeply rooted in the prejudices and af- 
fections of Christians ; and, like all errors that have been 
received as true for ages, it will take ages to root it out. 
This doctrine is gradually losing its hold on the mind of the 
church, and is slowly receding before the ever-increasing 
light of the Gospel. Many things that were once held as es- 
sential to this doctrine, have been abandoned as gross er- 
rors. The field of controversy is gradually narrowing ; and, 
as Christians are led to take a more rational, philosophical, 
and Scriptural view of Christianity, both in theory and 



A HISTORY OF THE ATONEMENT. 23 

practice, we may expect them to receive more correct views 
of Christian doctrine. The dark cloud that for so many 
ages shrouded the church and the world in Tartarean 
darkness, is slowly rolling back its dark folds — and the 
genial rays of the light -of divine truth is gradually illumi- 
nating the world. A flood of light has already burst in 
upon the theological world. Ignorance, error, and super- 
stition, are receding before the light of the everlasting Gos- 
pel ; and I look forward with joyful anticipations to tfhe 
glorious period, of which the Hebrew poets have sung in 
thesublimest strains of sacred eloquence — when the world 
shall be emancipated from the thraldom of ignorance, su- 
perstition and sin, and all shall bow in humble adoration 
•at the shrine of truth. "The wilderness and the solitary 
places shall be glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice 
and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, 
and rejoice even with joy and singing : the glory of Leba- 
non shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and 
Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the ex- 
cellency of our God. For ye shall go out with joy, and 
be led forth with peace ; the .mountains and the hills 
shall break forth before you into singing, and -all the 
trees of the fxeld shall clap their hands. Instead of the 
thorn shall come up the .fir-tree ; and instead of the brier 
shall come up the myrtle-tree ; and it shall be to the Lord 
for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut 



DISCOURSE HI. 



AN EXAMINATION OF THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF 
THE ATONEMENT. 

2. THESS. v : 21. 
Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good. 

A system that has been received as true for ages, by 
the general consent of mankind, is apt to be received by 
the mass o-f minds as of divine authority, without due 
investigation. Indeed, we are apt to regard it as sacriK- 
gious even to examine its claims to divinity. Our fath- 
ers received it — the great and good men of the earth for 
centuries have believed it ; it is venerable with age and 
consecrated by the dust of centuries — therefore it is true. 
This is the grounds upon which many of the most popu- 
lar dogmas of the day maintain their hold on the public 
mind. This is true in politics, philosophy, and religion. 
This ought not so to be. We should adopt the philo- 
sophical motto of Paul : "Prove all things ; hold fast 
that which is good." We should never receive a doctrine 
as true, without examining, in the most rigid manner, its- 
claims to divinity. But after a system has been received: 
as true for centuries, if there are any bold enough to in- 
vestigate its claims, hundreds will immediately arise with 
the terrible cry, " heresy" 1" This is holy ground and 



THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 25 

you must keep off your unholy feet. Multitudes of 
Christians, distinguished for piety and virtue, have- 
been denounced as heretics and enemies to the cross 
of Christ for denying the absurd and preposterous dogma 
of transubstantiation. Many of the brightest orna- 
ments of the church have been excommunicated by 
the popular religion of the day, for conscientiously re- 
jecting error and refusing to bow to the mandates of big- 
otry and superstition. Every step in the march of mind 
has been denounced as a dangerous and damning innova- 
tion. Every new truth developed has been opposed by 
the terrible cry, "heresy! heresy!" There was a time 
when it was dangerous to a man's religious character to 
call into question the popular doctrine of atonement. 
It endangered his good name and his standing in the 
church. But this state of feeling has in some degree 
passed away, and a man may now investigate this great 
subject with more freedom and less danger to his religious 
character. This is an age of investigation. The human 
mind is shaking off the shackles that have so long bound 
it down to the earth, and begins to assert its rights. Old 
systems are being sifted, and new ones are rigidly exam- 
ined. An investigating spirit has invaded the sacred pre- 
cincts and secluded shades of the old political, philoso- 
phical, and theological systems of the day ; and what is 
the result? Political systems are crumbling — thrones 
and dynasties are falling — old philosophical systems 
are being exploded — -and theological dogmas, venerable 
with age and consecrated by the clust of centuries, are 
receding before the light of "the everlasting Gospel.'* 
Even the Pope, armed with the thunder of ecclesiastical 
power, and defended by the superstition of ages, has not 



"26 THE POPULAR D'OCTKIXE OF THE ATONEMENT. 



been able to crush this life-giving spirit. The leaven 
of truth is at work, and must continue to work, until 
every system is leavened with the truth of heaven. The 
Almighty fiat has gone forth, and it must be obeyed. 

"Truth, crushed to earth, will rise again, 
The eternal years of God are hers." 

In the present discourse I design to investigate the pop- 
ular doctrine of the atonement. Though I differ from 
many of my religious friends on this great subject, yet I 
cherish for them the warmest affection and sympathy. 

The orthodox view of this subject is, that Christ died 
as a substitute for the sinner — met and satisfied the 
claims of justice in the room -of the sinner — suffered the 
penalty of the law — and thus cleared the sinner; and, 
<that God pardons the sinner in view of what Christ has 
done. From various considerations, this, to my mind, 
-appears to be a wrong view of this momentous subject. 
With the kindest feelings toward all Christians I will 
now present the reasons why I view this subject in a dif- 
ferent light. 

1. It was impossible, in the nature of things, for Christ 
-to have suffered the punishment due the sinner. Vv hat 
is the punishment of sin ? It is the forfeiture of the di- 
vine favor, and the sympathy and companionship of the 
•good — the sting of an evil conscience, the undying goad- 
ings of depraved desire and unholy passion in a state of pro- 
tracted opposition to the divine government, and disobe- 
dience of the divine law. Its a burden which none but 
the sinner can bear. Does God withdraw his favor from 
the innocent ? Can the innocent suffer the sting of a 
guilty conscience ? Do they suffer the goadings of deprav- 
ed desire and sinful passion ? No ! It is impossible, in th« 



THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 27 

Mature of things, for an innocent man, much less for a per- 
fect being like Christ, to suffer the punishment of sin. 

2. It would be impossible, in the nature of law, for Christ 
to suffer the punishment due to sin, and to satisfy the 
claims of the law. The law says that the sinner shall 
suffer, and not the innocent. "The soul that sinneth, it 
shall die." If Christ were to suffer the punishment due 
to sin, it would not satisfy the claims of the law ; for the 
law does not say that the innocent shall suffer "in the 
room and stead" of the transgressor. If Christ were to 
suffer as much as is due to all the sinners in the world, it 
would not satisfy the claims of the law. Here is a man 
that has committed murder : the law says that he shall 
die ; his neighbor steps forward and suffers death at the 
hands of the sheriff, in the room of the guilty. Does 
this satisfy the claims of the law on the guilty murderer ? 
By no means. 

o. If Christ suffered the penalty due to sin "in the room 
and stead of the sinner," it is unjust in God to punish 
him with death, or send him to hell. If Christ suffered 
all the punishment that is due to sin, paid off the claims 
of justice — why is man compelled to pay the debt again ? 
Is this justice ? To illustrate the idea, suppose that A 
owes B one thousand dollars, and C is security for the 
debt ; A fails to meet the demand against him, and B 
compels C to pay the debt. Has B any claim on A ? 
Can he compel him to pay the debt again ? Nay ! Just 
so with the case now in hand. If Christ suffered the 
penalty of sin — met and satisfied the claims of justice- 
God can have no claim on the sinner, and it is unjust 
that he should die and suffer all the consequences of sin. 
4. It makes God imperfect during some part of his ex- 



28 THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 

istence. If God was originally and independently perfect 
in mercy, love, and a disposition to pardon, — and the 
death of Christ reconciled and made him more so, — lie 
must now be imperfect ; because addition is as fatal to 
perfection in Deity as subtraction— that is, if God wafe 
right before the death of Christ affected him, he is wrong 
now. If he is right now, he must have been wrong be- 
fore. There is no possible way of escaping the conclu- 
sion that God is, or was an imperfect being, If the death 
of Christ reconciles him at all, he was perfect without it, 
and imperfect with it, or else he was imperfect without, 
and perfect with it. Either way it makes God wrong and 
imperfect, during some portion of his existence. 

5. It destroys the scriptural doctrine of forgiveness. I 
do not mean that it destroys all idea of forgiveness in the 
economy of salvation ; but that it destroys all forgiveness 
on the part of God. The Bible clearly and emphatically 
declares, that God forgives the sinner. Now, if Christ 
suffered and paid the penalty that was due the sinner, and 
met and satisfied the justice of God, God does not and 
cannot forgive the sinner, for there is nothing for him to 
forgive. Christ has paid all claims that he had on man. 
J owes K one hundred dollars — Ps note is endorsed by 
L ; K, finding that J is unable to pay the hundred dol- 
lars, sues L, and compels him to pay off the note. Now, 
does, or can, K forgive J the debt ? There is no forgive- 
ness in the matter. Just so with the case now in hand. If 
Christ pays the debt that man owes to justice, God docs 
not forgive the sinner, for the debt is already cancelled. 

6. It is unjust to punish the innocent in the room of the 
guilty. This is contrary to every principle of justice and 
righteousness. Would it be right to take the innocent child 



THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 29 



Of a murderer, and hang it "in the room and stead" of the 
guilty father ? All would shudder at the thought. This 
is what the popular doctrine of the atonement charges up- 
on God. It makes him punish and kill his innocent Son 
"in the room and stead of the sinner." It charges upon 
God a course of conduct, which, if introduced into human 
government, would subvert and destroy society. Is it 
wise to apply a principle of action to God, which, if in- 
troduced into human government, would destroy it ? Ap- 
ply this principle to the government of the family, churchy 
or State, destruction and ruin would be the result. 

7. It is contrary to the spirit of the Lord's [prayer, 
Christ taught us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we for- 
give our debtors." What are we to understand by this ? 
Are we to understand by it, that to forgive our debtors is 
to compel them, or some one else, to pay the last farthing 
they owe us ? Is this Christian forgiveness ? All will 
answer in the negative. Yet this is the necessary con- 
struction that the orthodox theory of atonement puts on 
this passage. If God does not, cannot, and will not for- 
give the sinner, until the claims of justice are satisfied, 
and the debt paid by some one suffering "in the room and 
stead of the sinner," and if we are to forgive our debt- 
ors upon the same principle that God forgives us, we 
must first make them pay us every farthing, and then for- 
give them. This is contrary to the spirit of the Scrip- 
tures. 

8. Christ didjnot'die to purchase the love of God for 
the sinner. Instead of this, it was the love of God that 
sent Christ into the world to die for the sinner. "For 
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 



30 THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 



Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life." 

9. It makes God a changeable being. If God was rec- 
onciled to man, he must have changed, for recon- 
ciliation implies a change. Now, the Scriptures teach us 
that God is unchangeable, immutable, eternally the same. 
Fe is styled "the Father of lights, with whom is no vari- 
ableness, neither shadow of turning." If reconciliation 
implies a change, and God is unchangeable, it follows, 
with all the force of demonstration, that he was not rec- 
onciled. 

The Scriptures sDeak of reconciling man to God — but 
never bf reconciling God to man. There is not one soli- 
tary passage that says, God was reconciled to man. This, 
to my mind, is a strong objection to the doctrine of a vi- 
carious atonement — for, if Chrst died to reconcile God to 
man, the inspired writers would not have neglected to 
make a clear and unequivocal statement of so important 
a doctrine. 

10. The doctrine of a vicarious atonement is not found 
in the writings of the apostolic fathers. They uniform- 
ly speak of man's being forgiven on the conditions of his 
repentance and reformation. Clemens Romanus, who 
was beheaded about the year 258, says of the Ninevltes, 
"Howbeit they, repenting of their sins, appeased God by 
their prayer, and were saved though they were strangers to 
the covenant of God." "Wherefore," says he, "let us 
obey his excellent and glorious will, and imploring his 
mercy and goodness, let us fall down upon our faces be- 
fore him, and Ccst ourselves upon his mercy." Hemas, 
who is thought to have lived cotemporary with the apos- 
tle, and to be mentioned by Paul, Rom. 16 : 14, says. 



THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 3? 

"Then shall their sins be forgiven, which they have here- 
tofore committed, and the sins of all the saints, who have 
ginned even unto this day, if they will repent with all 
their hearts, and remove all doubts out of their heart." 
Again, he says, "Whoever has suffered for the name of 
the Lord are esteemed honorable by the Lord, and all 
their offences are blotted out, because they have suffered 
death for the name of the Son of God."' Cyprian, who- 
wrote early in the third century, says, "What sinners- 
ought to do, the divine precepts inform us, viz : that sat- 
isfaction is made to God by good works, and that sins are 
done away by the merit of compassion." Lactantius,. 
who died about 325, says, "Let no one who has been led 
into sin by the impulse of passion despair of himself, for 
he may be restored if he repent of his sins, and by good 
works make satisfaction to God. For if we think our, 
children to be converted when they repent of their faults, 
why should we despair of the clemency of God, being 
pacified by repentance. Whoever, therefore, obeys the 
divine precepts is a worshipper of the true God, whose 
sacrifices are gentleness of mind, an innocent and good 
life." I might multiply quotations from the fathers on 
this point, but the above is sufficient to settle the fact 
that they had no knowledge of a vicarious atonement as 
it is now taught. This fact is admitted and referred to 
with surprise by authodox commentators on the writings 
of the apostolic fathers. 

I have now presented a few reasons why I think the 
doctrine of a vicarious atonement to be incorrect, and in 
the conclusion, invite the reader to test these arguments 
by the word of God> which is the only infallible standard 
of theological truth. All should bow to the teachings of 



32 THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OgR THE ATONEMENT. 

the Bible. In all matters beyond the cognizance of the 
human mind, we should make an unconditional surrender 
to the instructions of the Holy Scriptures. We should 
not mix up our own fancy with their instructions. Our 
business is not to guess, but to learn. After we have 
once established the fact that the Bible is an authentic 
message from God, by evidences over which the human 
mind has cognizance, we have no right to set in judgment 
on what it teaches, if the subjects of which it speaks lies 
beyond our comprehension; but we should set down at 
the feet of Christ as humble learners. When the Bible 
brings truth from a quarter which no human eye ever ex- 
plored — when it unfolds to us the mind of the Deity, and 
brings before us the counsels of that infinite Being, whose 
arm is abroad upon all worlds, and whose views reach to 
eternity, it is beyond the ken of mortal eye, or of tele- 
scope, and w T e must humbly submit to its instruction. 
We should go to the Bible to learn our theology. This 
is the only safe and infallible guide to truth. All other 
guides are imperfect and liable to mistake the way, and 
lead the earnest inquirer after truth astray. They are al- 
most sure to lead the student into the darkness and gloom 
of human speculation; but the Bible is a sure guide to the 
truth as it is revealed in Christ. It takes the humble, 
earnest and honest inquirer by the hand, and gently leads 
him along through the bewildering maze of human philo- 
sophy and speculation, into the broad dominion of truth. 
It is a burning lamp to the feet and a brilliant light to the 
path of the Christian. It sheds around him its celestial 
light, inspires his soul with the spirit of heaven, and leads 
him on to his eternal home in the pure and holy realms 
above. 



THE POPULAR DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT. 33 



"It shines on errors gloomy night, 

Removes the mists away, 
And sheds the beams of heavenly light, 

Creates the rising day/' 

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is 
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in- 
struction in righteousness — that the man of God may be 
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Rev- 
elation was given to unfold the true character of God, re- 
veal the plan of salvation, point out the immortal destiny 
of man, impart motives, give influences, elevate the 
thoughts, purify the affections, cultivate the heart, bring 
man to God, and direct him in the road that leads to hap- 
piness and heaven ; and all should receive its instruction, 
bow to its authority, practice its precepts, and obey all its 
commands. When this is done, all Christians will be 
one, 



3 



DISCOURSE IV. 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 

heb. ir: 17, 18. 

Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto 
his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest 
in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins 
of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempt- 
ed, he is able to succor them that are tempted; 

All heaven is interested in the salvation of man. God 
was moved with love for a perishing world. His love 
was so deep and strong, that he spared not his own ^Son 
— the Son of his love — "but delivered him up for us all.'*' 
Christ entered fully into the feelings and benevolent de- 
signs of his Father; and, animated by a strong and undy- 
ing love for fallen man, he left the bosom of his Father, 
the societyof the holy angels, the unfading glories of hea- 
ven, and camo into the world to redeem man from the 
thraldom of sin, and prepare him for the enjoyment of the 
society and blessings, of heaven. 

1st. Jesus Christ took upon himself a body like man's, 
and appeared in the "likeness of sinful flesh." "The 
word was made flesh." There are different views upon 
this subject. The popular idea is, that the second person 
in the Trinity was mysteriously united to "a true body 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST.' 



35 



and reasonable soul," and thus became the Son of man. 
My view of this important subject is, that Jesus Christ, the 
Son of God, who existed with the Father "before the 
world was," became the soul of a human body — that this 
body was only the medium through which he communica- 
ted with the world, in which he lived, acted, suffered, and 
died. The Son of God sustained the same relation to this 
body that the soul of man does to his body. This is the 
sentiment of the Bible : "The word was made flesh, and 
dwelt among us." The original word rendered dwelt, sig- 
nifies to pitch a lent, booth, or temporary hut, for present 
shelter. It does not properly signify a lasting habitation, 
or permanent dwelling place. The body of Christ, then, 
was only a temporary dwelling, in which he resided during 
his stay on earth. As the body of man is the house in 
which the soul resides, so the body of Christ was only the 
temple in which he resided. In the Epistle to the He- 
brews, we have the following inspired comment on this 
subject: ''Forasmuch, then, as the children are parta- 
kers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part 
of the same." How are "the children" made "partakers 
of flesh and blood V By receiving a body composed of 
.flesh and blood, which is the tabernacle of the soul. 
From this we would infer, that Christ was made a parta- 
ker of flesh and blood, by receiving a human body. 
"Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, sac- 
rifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou 
prepared me." Here we learn, that God' prepared "a bo- 
dy" for Christ ; but no where, in the Scripture, is it said, 
that he prepared "a true body and reasonable soul" for 
him. The above sentiment is beautifully expressed in the 
following striking language : "Let this mind be in you, 



56 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



which was also in Christ Jesus ; who being in the form of 
God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God ; bul 
made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the 
form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of 
man," 

2d. Why was it necessary for Christ to take upon him- 
self "the likeness of sinful flesh," and visit our earth "in 
the form of a servant ?" Why could he not have left the 
bosom of his Father, visited our earth, instructed man in 
the way of salvation, and reascended to heaven, without 
taking upon himself "the seed of Abraham," and endu- 
ring the awful sufferings that he did ? This was impossi- 
ble in the nature of things. The nature of man, and his 
fallen condition, rendered it necessary for Christ to visit 
our earth just as he did. This is obvious from the fol- 
lowing considerations : 

First — Man is so constituted, that his senses are adapt- 
ed to the external world, and his intellect to communica- 
tion with his fellow man. The delicate bony structure of 
the ear, which conveys sounds from the tympanum to the 
sensorium, is nicely adjusted by our Maker to appreciate 
and convey the tones and modulations of the human 
voice. Human gesture, likewise, and the expressions of the 
countenance and the eyfy are auxiliary to human lan- 
guage, in conveying instruction. "Man is constituted, 
both physically and mentally, to receive instruction from 
one of his own species — and, according to the nature of 
things, if God would communicate with man, he must do 
it through the medium of communication that he has giv- 
en to him. Suppose that God should send an angel from 
heaven to communicate with and instruct man, — what 
would be necessary to the successful consummation of his 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST, 



37 



mission ? One of two things must be done, Man's na- 
ture must be elevated and adapted to intercourse with 
angels, or the nature of angels must be let down to the 
capacity of man, and adapted to intercourse with human 
nature. And it would be essential to accomplish the 
greatest amount of good, and to instruct the common 
mind, that he should not assume the most elevated condi- 
tion of human nature; and, in his intercourse 9 use the most 
cultivated and classical language. He must use common 
language and familiar illustrations. Here arises the ne- 
cessity for Christ coming into the world "in the likeness 
of sinful flesh," and the "fashion of a man." It was ne- 
cessary that man should be elevated and adapted to com- 
municate with him, or that he should let down his na- 
ture, and assume a state adapted to communicate with and 
instruct man. It appears that the latter was chosen, and 
he assumed a condition adapted to man's nature and 
wants, "Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers 
of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of 
the same." 

2d. It was necessary that Christ should be "made of 
the seed of David according to the flesh," that he might 
set man a perfect example. Man is so constituted that 
he learns better by example than precept. Theory with- 
out example, or precept without practice, does not consti- 
tute a perfect system of instruction. The theory of sur- 
gery, however perfectly it may be taught in our medical 
schools, without example, would never make a perfect 
surgeon. A man may teach a perfect system of survey- 
ing ; but if he would make his students good practical 
surveyors, he must take his instruments and show them 
how it is done. He must practically exemplify his theo^ 



38 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



ry. The nature of man is such, that a perfect system of 
instruction, adapted to his capacity, must embrace both 
precept and example, theory and practice. It is not only 
necessary that God should give us a perfect theory and 
pure precepts ; but this theory must be illustrated by ex- 
ample, and the precepts by practice. The nature and sit- 
uation of man not only require a perfect example, but 
this example must be set by one clothed in his own na- 
ture. Man must see his duties as a man, exemplified in 
his own nature. The example of an angel from heaven 
would not do, for man would exclaim at once, "0 ! an an- 
gel can do these things, but a man cannot." From this 
we see the necessity for the introduction of a model char- 
acter into the world, and this model character must be a 
perfect human nature. Here we see another great rea- 
son why Christ should be "made in the likeness of men." 
It was necessary to give us a perfect system of instruc- 
tion suited to our nature and situation in the world. Jus- 
tin Martyr, in speaking upon this point, says: "Example 
was necessary to be exhibited to men as well as precepts ; 
and, therefore, it was necessary that God should be cloth- 
ed with a mortal body; be tempted, suffer, and die." 

Again : "Christ was made flesh, because he was not on- 
ly to teach, but also to do— and to be an example, that 
none might allege in their excuse the weakness of the 
flesh." Speaking of the incarnation in general, he says, 
"Christ assumed a human body, and lived among men, 
that he might set us an example of living, and dying, and 
rising again." 

3d. It was necessary that Christ should visit our world 
"in the likeness of sinful flesh," and suffer as he did, in 
order that he might be fully qualified to sympathize with 



THE INCARNATION 'OF CHRIST. 



39 



man. In his pre-existent state he was not as fully quali- 
fied to"sympathize with man as he now is. The angels of 
heaven, though they deeply sympathize with man, yet they 
cannot as fully enter into his feelings and sympathies as 
they could if they had the same experience. No man who 
is not a parent, can enter into the sympathies and feelings 
of a parent. To do this, he must have a parent's experi- 
ence. Look yonder at that weeping mother ! A lovely 
and only child has been torn from her fond embrace by 
the relentless hand of death. The deep fountain of her 
soul is moved, and the bitter sorrow of her heart finds ut- 
terance in burning tears. No one, not even a mother, 
can enter into the feelings of that mother's heart, and ful- 
ly sympathize with her, unless she has experienced the 
•same. In order to be fully qualified to sympathize with 
man, and to enter into all his feelings, Christ "was made 
flesh," and mingled with human society in all its grades. 
•'Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like 
unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faith- 
ful High Priest, in things pertaining to God, to make re- 
conciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he him- 
self hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succor .them 
that are tempted." Christ having taken upon himself 
*'the seed of Abraham," and lived a life of suffering, sor- 
tow, pain, and want, is fully qualified to sympathize with, 
and succor the tempted child of God. "For we have not 
an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feel- 
ings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like 
as we are, yet without sin." By his incarnation and suf- 
ferings, he was made a perfect Savior, suited to our wants. 
Hence, Paul said, "He was made perfect through suffer- 
ing." 



40 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



4th. It was necessary that Christ should visit our earth 
"in the form of a servant, " that by his death and resurrec- 
tion, he might clearly exemplify and confirm the doctrine 
of the resurrection, and immortality beyond the grave. 
Man is more influenced by facts than abstract reasoning. 
The statement of one simple fact has more influence on 
the mass of minds, than the most powerful abstract rea- 
soning. The fact that Christ died, and rose again from 
the dead, has done more to scatter the darkness and gloom 
that hung around the grave, than all the powers of rea- 
soning. It meets and satisfies the wants of the human 
mind on this momentous and thrilling subject. It aids 
and strengthens our faith in the resurrection and future 
life. Our greatest difficulties on the sublime subject of 
a resurrection and future life, arise more from the senses 
and imagination than reason. We look upon the cold and 
lifeless bodies, the w r an features, the palsied limbs of our 
friends, and in imagination follow them to the silent tomb, 
picture to ourselves the change of decomposition and de- 
cay; and when reason and revelation speak of a resurrec- 
tion and higher life, the senses and imagination, pointing 
to the mouldering body, conjure up gloomy doubts, and 
obscure the light which reason and revelation strive to 
kindle in the soul. The resurrection of Christ scatters 
those gloomy doubts that arise like fearful spectres from 
the tomb, and satisfies the senses and imagination. It 
presents to us a human body upon which death had done 
its work, consigned in hopelessness to the tomb, rising 
again from the gloomy grave, not to return again to the 
dark charnel -house of death ; but, after a short stay on 
earth, to ascend to a purer and higher state above. These 
thrilling and soul-stirring facts,, submitted to the sensea 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



41 



and imagination, are wisely adapted to remove our chief 
doubts upon the great subject of the resurrection and future 
life, and meet the wants of the human mind. Paul 
teaches the same sentiment: "Forasmuch, then, as the 
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself 
likewise took part of the same; 'that through death he 
might destroy Jiim that had the power of death, that is, 
the devil ; and deliver them who, through fear ot death, 
were all their life time subject to bondage. — 1 Cor. xv : 
12, 21—Rom. v : 10. 

5th. It was necessary that " the Word " should be 
M made flesh," and suffer as he did, to reconcile man to 
God. It is only by love that man, when alienated from 
God, is softened, humbled, and made penitent. He could 
resist threats, steel his heart against the awful denuncia- 
tions of destruction and vengeance, disregard the claims 
of justice, trample the authority of heaven under his feet, 
and, in the fearful might of a rebellious spirit, he could 
dare the vengeance of heaven, and disregard a vindictive 
Deity. But love has a voice to which none can listen 
unmoved, especially when it speaks from the midst of 
awful suffering and torture, endured for those with whom 
it pleads. The hardest heart will relent at the melting 
calls of love and mercy, that comes bathed in tears and 
immersed in suffering. Look yonder at that stubborn > 
hard-hearted, self-willed Son ! He disregards the author- 
ity of his father, and dares the punishment of the rod* 
That son has a kind, affectionate, devoted, sympathizing 
parent, whose heart is animated by the warm feelings and 
sympathies of a parent. He is deeply interested in the 
welfare of his son, and tries the influence of his authorU 
ty and of punishment, to reclaim him — but in vain* He 



42 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



steels his heart against them. The tender-hearted father 
is deeply afflicted. The warm feelings and affections of 
his soul are moved ; and in tears, with a bleeding heart, 
he goes to a throne of grace in prayer. The son beholds 
the deep emotion and suffering of his parent, and his 
heart is melted to contrition. He could resist his author- 
ity, but he cannot steel his heart against his tears and 
suffering.. When authority, punishment, and vengeance 
failed, love and mercy triumphed. The voice of love, 
speaking to him from the midst of tears and sorrow, mov- 
e<l the hard heart and melted his soul to penitence. It 
is on the same principle that God subdues the hard heart 
of the sinner, and melts his soul to contrition. The mis- 
sion, suffering, and death of Christ, are the greatest exhi- 
bition of love ever made to the world. Nothing is so 
well calculated to move the hard heart, bend the stubborn 
will, and quicken into life and action the affections and 
sympathies of the soul, as the incarnation and suffering 
of Christ. ! how does the thought that the blessed Christ 
suffered and bled for all men, awaken the last lingering 
spark of love, sympathy, and virtuous feeling, and gen- 
erously fan them into a flame ! ! how does it melt the 
hard heart, bring nigh those that were afar off, make them 
ashamed of their sins, and excite in them the most ear- 
nest longing thai this love for them should not be in vain, 
" Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down 
his life for his friends. " Christ might have dwelt on the 
earth in splendor, and ascended to heaven without suf- 
fering, and his love for man have been just as strong — 
but man would not have discovered its depth and power, 
nor felt the power of his love, if he had not gone as a 
iamb to the slaughter. 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST- 



43 



But it is not his own love only that Christ exhibits to 
the world. His mission is the fruit of his Father's love. 
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only be- 
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have everlasting 1 i f e . ? ' "Herein is love, not 
that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son 
to be the propitiation for our sins." Jn Christ was mani- 
fested the fullness of the Godhead bodily. In him was 
manifested the intensity of the depth of God's love and 
pity for man. He exhibited his Father's image, ever rea- 
dy to forgive the humble penitent. "He that spared not 
his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall 
he not with him also freely give us all things?" In Christ 
God goes forth as a loving parent to meet his wandering 
children. In him he reveals the depth and fullnes of his 
paternal love. "For scarcely for a righteous man will 
one die; yet, peradventure, for a good man some would 
even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward 
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us/' 
Here is laid a broad and firm foundation for faith, confi- 
dence, and hope, without which man could never have 
faith and strength to return from his wanderings, and enter 
the path of obedience to God. 

6th. It was necessary that Christ should be "made 
flesh," and appear in the character that he did, that he 
might destroy the pride and selfishness of the human 
heart. The character of man must, in the nature of 
things, be the character and condition of the Messiah. 
He was to be the great model character, and his influence 
must necessarily be felt through all coming time. His 
condition in life, then, must necessarily have a tendency 
to destroy the pride and selfishness of the human heart, 



44 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



to ameliorate the condition of man, or to foster the am- 
bitious and wicked passions of man's heart. There are 
two great favorite characters firmly established in the love 
and alTection of the human family — the conquering hero 
and the philosopher. At the shrine of the first, the Jews 
and the Romans bowed with all the fervor of Eastern 
devotion, and to the altar of the second, the Greek brought 
his oblation. Had Christ appeared in the character that 
the Romans loved and the Jews ardently expected, of a 
great temporal Prince, surrounded by the pride, pomp, 
and splendor of an earthly court,— ambitious to defend 
and restore the dynasty of David and Solomon, it would 
have had a direct tendency to foster the pride, selfishness 
and ambition of the human heart. All would have aspi- 
red to equal pride, power, and ambition. It would have 
kindled and blown into an eternal flame the fire of am- 
bition, selfishness, and war. lts a tendency would have 
been to produce pride^and haughtiness in the rich, ambi- 
tion and selfishness in the middle class, and restlessness 
and hopeless dejection in the poor. 

Had he appeared in the character of a great philoso- 
pher, which the Greeks loved, and taken his seat in the 
halls of learning, and startled the learned world by the 
development of new and sublime truths, and by the pow- 
er of a far-reaching intellect, and solved all the abstruse 
questions that interested the disciples of the porch and 
academy, his teaching would have interested a few gifted 
minds, but they would not have been suited to benefit the 
mass of minds, nor the hearts of a majority of mankind. 
Proud of his wisdom already, the character of the Messi- 
ah would have kindled the flame of pride in the philoso- 
pher's heart ; and, instead of blessing him by humbling 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



45 



his pride , and kindling within him a spirit of sympathy 
and love for his fellow men, it would have led him and 
his admirers to look upon the mass of men as an inferior 
class of beings. Had the Messiah appeared in either of 
the above characters, instead of being a spiritual blessing 
to the human family, he would have been a curse ; for, in- 
stead of destroying the pride and selfishness of the hu- 
man heart, and inspiring man with a spirit of sympathy 
and love for his fellows, he would have fostered these 
base passions of the human heart, and destroyed all sym- 
pathy. From this we see, the necessity for Christ assu- 
ming the humble form of a servant, and teaching the self* 
denying doctrine of the cross. Paul well understood the 
necessity and philosophy of this. "For it became him, for 
whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bring- 
ing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their sal- 
vation perfect through suffering. For both he that sane- 
tifieth, and they who are scantified, are all one ; for which 
cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren/' The 
humble and self-denying life of Christ was necessary, be- 
cause it would have a sanctifying influence upon human 
nature, by counteracting the evil passions of the human 
heart. It was necessary for him to be "made flesh," and 
thus become the brother of man, and to assume the char- 
acter that he did, that man by becoming one with him, 
might be made happy and useful. 

I have now presented a few reasons why it was neces- 
sary for Christ to appear "in the likeness of sinful flesh" 
— and, in the conclusion, earnestly invite your attention 
to this great and thrilling subject. It should interest all 
minds. Even the pure and lofty intelligences that encir- 
cle the Eternal Throne in Heaven, are deeply interested 



46 



THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST. 



in this sublime subject. When the universe was mould- 
oil from its chaotic state into its present order, beauty, har- 
mony, and splendor, "the morning stars sang together, 
nnd all the sons of God shouted for joy" — but 0! with 
what ecstatic joy and heavenly raptujd they celebrated 
(he birth of Christ. ! my dying friends, can you remain 
uninterested and unmoved by this stupendous exhibition 
of a Savior's love ? Can you turn away, with a 
thoughtless mind, and a hard heart, from the contempla- 
tion of this soul-stirring subject, that interested and moved 
all heaven? Here we behold the depth and strength of 
n Savior's love. He left the bosom of his Father, the 
pure and holy society of the angels, the glories of heav- 
en, the undying splendors of immortality, and "made him- 
self of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a 
servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being 
found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and be- 
came obedient unto death — even the death of the cross." 

"With pitying eyes the Prince of Grace, 

Beheld our helpless grief, 
Ke saw, and O, amazing love ! 

He Hew to our relief. 

Down from the shining seats above, 

With joyful haste he tied, 
Enter' d the grave, in mortal flesh, 

And dwelt among the dead. 

"0 for this love, let rocks and mountains. 
Purling streams and crystal fountains, 

Roaring thunders, lightning's blazes, 
Shout the great Messiah's praises." 

Angels assist our mighty joys, 
Strike all your harps of gold ; 
7 But when you raise your highest notes, 

His love can ne'er be told. ,, 



DISCOURSE Y. 



THE ATONEMENT. 

HEBREW II : 17, 18. 

Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto 
his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High 
Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconcilation for the 
sins of the people: for in that he himself hath suffered, being 
tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. 

The subject of the atonement is one in which the in* 
habitants of both heaven and earth are deeply interested. 
It has been made a subject of long, deep and earnest 
thought by the spiritual and lofty intelligences of heaven. 
The angels "desire to look into" its sublime mysteries ; 
for in it they behold a glorious exhibition of the infinite 
wisdom and exuberant goodness of God. "The heavens 
declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his 
handy work." The calling into existence the vast uni- 
verse of worlds — their arrangement in the beautiful order 
which they now exhibit — the peopling of those worlds 
with myriads of inhabitants, and the wise provisions 
made to meet their wants — are a sublime and glorious de- 
velopment of the infinite wisdom and disinterested be- 
nevolence of God ; but the incarnation of Christ, and its 
sublime results, are greater exhibitions of trie omniscience* 



48 



Trtfc ATONEMENT. 



and unbounded goodness of Jehovah, "Herein is love, 
not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his 
Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 

The greatest and best minds that ever adorned the earth 
have made the atonement a subject of long, deep, and 
. earnest meditation, 

" Around it lies the wreck of many a sage." 

But, notwithstanding all that has been written and said 
on this subject^ there are thousands of Christians that 
have no clear, well-disgested idea of it. The subject 
should be studied more than it is. Christians should not 
rest satisfied with a mere vague, faint conception of it, 
but should "search the scriptures, " that they may learn 
the truth as it is revealed in Christ. 

In the contemplation of this subject, the first thing that 
•arrests the mind, is an enquiry : what is the atonement ? 
This is the most important point. It is the pivot upon 
which the whole subject turns. The design of the pre* 
sent discourse is to answer this question. 

The word atonement occurs but once in the New* 
Testament, and, in this case, it is admitted by all Bible 
critics to stand as a substitute for the word reconciliation. 
Paul says, "If, when we were enemies, we were recon- 
ciled to God by the death of his Son ; much more, being 
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only 
so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
by whom w r e have now received the atonement." It is 
obvious that the word atonement here means reconcila- 
tion. The tenth verse explains the eleventh, and makes 
the whole subject as plain as the light of day. On this 
passage, Dr. Barnes says, "It means the reconciliation 
itself between God and man ; not the means by which 



THE ATONEMENT. 



reconciliation is effected. It denotes not that we have 
received a ransom, or an offering, by which reconciliation 
might be effected ; but that in fact we have become recon* 
ciled through Jiim. This was the ancient meaning of the 
English word atonement — at-one-ment — being at one, or 
reconciled." 

The Greek word which is here rendered atonement, is 
never used^to denote an expiatory sacrifice. It is different 
from the word which in the Old Testament is rendered 
atonement. It simply denotes reconciliation. It is here 
used in the form of a noun, but it occurs in other instan- 
ces in the form of a verb. "All things are of God, who 
hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath 
given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to-wit : that 
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, 
not imputing their trespasses unto them ; and hath com- 
mitted unto us the word of reconciliation. In these and 
other instances, in which the word occurs in the New 
Testament, it denotes reconciliation or restoration to the 
divine favor. 

The word, which in our text is rendered reconciliation, 
is a different w r ord ; and answers to the Hebrew word, 
which, in the Old Testament, is rendered to make atone- 
ment. It occurs in but one other instance in the New 
Testament, and that is the prayer of the publican. "God 
be merciful to me a sinner." That is, be propitious: Dr. 
Robinson says, that the literal meaning of the word is, 
"to propitiate as to sins, to make propitiation for sins 
In a literal translation, our text would read thus : — ■ 
"Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like 
unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faith- 
ful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make pro- 
4 * 



50 



THE ATONEMENT. 



pitiation or atonement for the sins of the people." Pro- 
pitiation, expiation and atonement, are terms of similar 
import. 

The following language of John is a beautiful com- 
ment upon the language of our text : "My little children, 
these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if 
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
Christ the righteous : and he is the propitiation for our 
sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the 
whole world." Christ is the great atoning sacrifice — the 
sin-offering. To atone is to reconcile, and no sacrifice 
that ever was offered to God, is so admirably adapted to 
move the heart, to lead to repentance and to God, as the 
sacrifice of Christ. 

The word atonement not only embraces the idea of re- 
conciliation, but also of purification or cleansing. The* 
term has this signification in the Old Testament. This 
meaning of the word is in perfect harmony with the idea 
of reconciliation. Impurity is what separates the sinner 
from God ; let him be cleansed and he is reconciled, at* 
07?ewith God. 

In the Scriptures the word atonement i3 sometimes used 
for the means of the atonement. Under the Mosaical 
economy, the typical sacrifices were the means ; yet, ac- 
cording to a common figure of speech, they were called 
the atonement. The name of the end being applied to 
the appointed means. This is a common figure of speech 
in the Bible. Thus, God is called our salvation, that is, 
the author of it. — Exod. 15: 2. — Our life and the length 
of our days. — Deut. 30. 20. — Our strength, that is, the 
author of it. So Christ is termed our salvation — Isa. 43; 
%,~Ltfe — John 11 : 25 — and the resurrection. So he is* 



the atonement: 



51 



said to be made unto us tvisdom, righteousness, sanctifica- 
tion, and redemption; that is, the author of these things. 
This principle should not be lost sight of in reading the 
Scripture, for the want of noticing this feature in scriptur- 
al language, has led many into serious error. Not noti- 
cing that the name of the end was sometimes applied to 
the means, they have been led to consider the means as 
the end. Hence, sacrifice, the means of the atonement, 
has been regarded as the atonement itself. 

The atonement is the great work which Christ came to 
accomplish. This was the grand ultimatum of his mis- 
sion. Hence, the language of the text: ''Wherefore in 
all things it behooved him to be made like unto his breth- 
ren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest 
in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation or 
atonement for the sins of the people." The following 
language of Daniel is a beautiful comment upon our text: 
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and 
upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to 
make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for in- 
iquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to 
seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most 
Holy." Christ was "made like unto his brethren," that 
by his teaching, example, suffering, death, resurrection, 
ascension, and intercession, he might establish a great 
system of divine truth, and set into operation causes 
through which man may be led to repentance, purified 
from sin, and reconciled to God. He came "to make 
an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for in- 
iquity." Hence, it is said, that he "is made unto us wis- 
dom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemp- 
tion." Through him we receive "the wisdom which com- 



TrtE Atonement. 



eth dovvri from above," are made righteous, sanctified aflfd 
redeemed ; "in whom we have redemption through hi 5 
blood, the forgiveness of sifts, according to the riches of 
his grace," 

Christ is a "faithful High Priest in things pertaining to 
God," that is, in the duties of his priestly office. The 
High Priest under the law, was a type of Christ, and Paul 
has pointed out the beautiful and striking analogy be- 
tween the two : "The priests went always into the first 
tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God; but into 
the second went the High Priest alone, once every year, 
not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for 
the errors of the people ; the Holy Ghost, this signifying 
that the way into the holiest of all, was not yet made 
manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing; 
which was a figure for the time then present, in which 
were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make 
him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the con- 
science ; which stood only in meats and drinks, and di- 
vers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed upon 
them until the time of reformation. But Christ being 
come a High Priest of good things to come, by a greater 
and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that 
is to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of 
goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in 
once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemp- 
tion for us." Here the apostle has drawn the analogy 
between the High Priest under the old covenant and 
Christ. 1st. The High Priest was appointed to his office 
by God, so also was Christ : "No man taketh this honor 
unto himself but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 
So, also, Christ glorified not himself to be made an High 



THE ATONEMENT. 



53 



Priest ; but He that said unto him, Thou art my Son; to- 
day have I begotten thee. As he saith, also, in another 
place, Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Mel- 
chisedec." 2d. The High Priest was taken from among 
men, and "ordained for men, in things pertaining to God, 
that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." One 
great duty of the High Priest was to offer gifts and sacri- 
fices. In this he was a type of Christ ; "For every High 
Priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices-: wherefore, 
it is of necessity that this man (Christ) have somewhat 
to offer." It was necessary that he, as a. priest, should 
have some offering or sacrifice to bring to the altar. 
Hence, he took upon himself "the likeness of sinful 
fleshy" and gave "himself for us an offering and sacrifice 
to God for a sweet-smelling savor." Hence, said Paul, 
"We ^re sanctified, through the offering of the body of 
Jesus Christ once for all." Christ is both the priest and 
the offering. 

3d. Once a year the high priest entered alone into the 
holy of holies wiih the blood of the sacrifice, "and sprin- 
kled it with his finger upon the mercy-seat eastward, and 
before the mercy-seat seven times." This points us to 
the sacrifice and intercession of Christ. The holy of ho- 
lies was a type of heaven, and the priests entering into 
It once a fear, and the sprinkling of the blood of the 
sacrifice upon the mercy-seat, were typical of Christ's en- 
tering into heaven and his intercession for man. The 
high priest entered into the holy place, <# not without 
blood, which he offered for himself, and the errors of fthe 
people;" so "Chris% by his own blood, entered once into 
the holy place." "For Christ is not entered into the ho- 
tf places made with hands which are the figures of the 



54 



THE ATONEMENT. 



true ; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the pres- 
ence of God for us : not yet that he should offer himself 
often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place eve- 
ry year with the blood of others ; for then must he often 
have suffered since the foundation of the world ; but now 
once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put 
away sin by the sacrifice of himself. "Under the law the 
priest offered sacrifice "year by year continually but 
Christ "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever 
sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth ex- 
pecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by 
one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanc- 
tified.' 1 

The atonement under the law was designed to cleanse 
from sin and reconcile to God. Both these ideas are 
brought to view in the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus. An 
atonement was made for the tabernacle, the holy place, 
the altar and congregation ; first, to cleanse and purify 
them, "because of the uncleanness of the children of 
Israel, and because of their transgressions and secondly, 
to reconcile them. Hence the expression, "reconciling the 
holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the 
altar, &c." When an atonement was made, the express 
design of it was to cleanse the people from their sins. 
This was the express design of the annual atonement as- 
is evident from the following language : "For in that day 
shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse 
you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the 
Lord." It is obvious from this that the object of the 
atonement is first to cleanse, and secondly to reconcile. 
When the sinner is cleansed from all sin, the cause c*f 
irreconciliation is removed* and the sinner is reconciled 
to God. 



THE ATONEMENT. 



The design of the gospel atonement is to cleanse from 
sin and reconcile to God. Christ died, not to redeem us 
from the justice of God, but to redeem us from sin. He 
-"gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all. 
iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zeal- 
ous of good works." The Jewish sacrifices were design- 
ed to purify the flesh — to cleanse the outward man, — but 
the gospel sacrifices to purify the "inner man" — to "purge 
the conscience/' 

Sin is the great and only obstacle to forgiveness and 
salvation. This^is insurmountable, so long as it exists. 
It can only be removed by its own destruction. Christ 
came into the world, lived, suffered, and died to destroy 
it. " He thai commit etb sin is of the devil ; for the dev- 
il sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son 
of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works 
of the devil." "Thou shalt call his name Jes*js. for he 
shall save his people from their sins. Unto you first, God 
having raised up his Son, Jesus, sent him to bless you, in 
turning away every one of you from his iniquities." This 
is the great design of the Gospel dispensation — the mis- 
sion, teaching, example, miracles, suffering, death, res- 
urrection, and ascension of Christ,— to cleanse man from 
sin, and thus bring him into a state of reconciliation with 
God. " God was in Christ reconciling the world unto 
himself" 

Christ came into the w r orld, not to reconcile God to 
sinners, but to reconcile sinners to God. Peter said, 
"Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the un- 
just, that he might bring us to God." Hence, said Paul, 
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God 
did beseech you by us^ we pray jou in Christ's stead be ye 



56 



THE ATONEMENT. 



reconciled to God." No language can be more explicit 
and unequivocal than this. For what purpose did God 
send his Son into the world? Paul answers, "to recon- 
cile the world unto himself." 

The design of the atonement, under the law, was not 
to appease or placate God. This is obvious from the 
fact, that an atonement was made for the altar, the tab- 
ernacle, the holy place, and the house of the leper. Sure- 
ly God was not angry with these inanimate objects. So, 
under the new covenant, the atonement made by Christ is 
not designed to placate God, but is an expression of his 
love. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that 
he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for 
our sins." Instead of being an expression of wrath, it is 
an exhibition of mercy. "God commenJ'eth his love to- 
wards us, in that while W8 were yet sinners, Christ died 
for us." 

The sacrifices under the law were not the- atonement, 
but the means of the atonement. It w r as w 7 ith them that 
the Priest made an atonement for sinners. So, under the 
Gospel dispensation, the sufferings and death are not the 
atonement, but the means by which it is accomplished. 
No w 7 here in the Scriptures is the death of Christ said to 
be the atonement. It is "through" him that "ice receive 
ike atonement" 

Paul said, "Almost all things are by the law purged 
with blood ; and without shedding of blood is no remis^ 
won." The Apostle is here evidently speaking of "re- 
mission" of sins under the law. Under this economy, 
none could receive "remission" or forgiveness without 
the offering of the sacrifices which the law provided. These 
sacrifices were designed to purify or cleanse the sinner. Thi& 



THE ATONEMENT. 



57 



design is pointed out by God himself in the following sta- 
tute : "Ob that day shall the Priest make an atonement 
for you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before 
the Lord." The most of the sacrifices of the law were of- 
fered to cleanse the people from ceremonial uncleanness, 
end related only to "the outward man." — Heb. ix : 13. 
The sacrifices of the law were typical of the sacrifice of 
Christ ; and the blood of Christ, like the Jewish sacrifices, 
is designed, not to make God merciful, but to cleanse from 
sin — "to purge the conscience from dead works to serve 
the living God" — "to cleanse from all sin" — "to redeem 
us from all iniquity." — Heb ix : 14 ; x : 10—1 John, 1 : 
7. The existence of sin constituted the necessity of the 
mission of Christ, and the removal of sin its glory. 

Several objections are urged against the above views of 
the atonement — and I will now notice the most promi- 
nentones : 1. The fact that Christ offered himself as "a 
sacrifice to God," is thought to prove that his death was 
designed in some way to make him more merciful. On 
this subject, w-e remark, 1st. That whatever is done in obe- 
dience to God's will, is said to be done unto him. Hence, 
it is said, that Christ "offered himself a sacrifice to God ; >f 
for he died in obedience to God's will. "I came not to 
do my own will," said Christ, "but the w^ill of him that 
gent me." 2d. The expression that "Christ also hath 
loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and 
sacrifice to God," does not prove that Christ died as a sub- 
stitute for sinners. Paul exhorts his Roman brethren to. 
"present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and accepta- 
ble unto God." Was their bodies offered as a substitute 
for the sins of their souls ? To the Hebrews it is said: 
"By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to Ge4 



58 



THE ATONEMENT, 



continually, — that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks 
to his name. But to do good., and communicate, forget 
not ; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." God 
was "well pleased with such sacrifices" — and why ? Be- 
cause it was in harmony with his will. The following Urn* 
guage clearly explains the passage now under considera- 
tion : "But I have all, and abound ; 1 am full, having re- 
ceived of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from 
you — an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well 
pleasing to-iJod." The liberal donation that Paul received 
from the Philippians, was "a sacrifice, acceptable, well 
pleasing unto God," because it was in accordance with his 
will. Were those ^things which were -sent" to Paul, and 
which were "an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing unto 
God," a substitute for sinners ? No I The death of 
Christ is said to be "an offering and sacrifice to God" — 
not because he died as a substitute for sinners, but because 
it was in obedience to the "will of him that sent him," 
and was therefore "a sweet-smelling savor." If the ex- 
pression, "Christ also hath loved us, and hath given him- 
-self for us, an offering and sacrifice to God," proves that 
he died as a substitute for sinners, then "the sacrifices of 
a broken heart — t'be sacrifice of praise to God — the sacri- 
fice of faith — and the offering of our bodies a living sac- 
rifice, holy and acceptable unto God," are substitutes 
also.. 

2. Another prominent objection is that "Christ gave 
himself a ransom for us." From this it has been confi- 
dently asserted that 'he died as a substitute for sinners, to 
•redeem them from the justice of God — that his sufferings 
were an equivalent to the punishment due the sinner. 
The fact that Christ "gave himself a ransom for us," 



THE ATONEMENT. 



does not prove that he died as a substitute for the sinner, 
from the consideration that the inspired writers use the 
term in a figurative sense. It sometimes means simply 
deliverance; "For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and 
ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger 
than he." That is, the Lord delivered Jacob from the 
hands of his enemies. "I will ransom them from the 
power of the grave ; I will redeem them from death." 
Here the words "ransom" and "redeem" simply mean 
deliverance, "The wicked shall be a ransom for the 
righteous, and the transgressor for the upright." Did 
Solomon mean that the sufferings of the wicked should 
be a substitute for such sufferings as God could justly in- 
flict on his penitent children ? This will hardly be ad* 
mitted. It is obvious from the above passages that the 
ransoming of the sinner is his deliverance from sin. The 
term "ransom" is sometimes applied to the means of de- 
liverance, or redemption. "For 1 am the Lord thy God, 
the Holy one of Israel, thy Savior : I gave Egypt for thy 
ransom ; Ethiopia and Seba for thee." By great suffer- 
ings brought on Egypt, God ransomed the Jews from sla- 
very. In this sense of the term, any means by which 
man is delivered from suffering, may be styled a ransom. 
This proves that the phrase "he gave himself a ransom 
for us," does not mean that he died as a substitute for 
sinners; but that his sufferings and death is made the 
means of their redemption, or salvation from sin. The 
fact that we are said to be "bought" and "purchased" by 
Christ, is thought to prove that he died as a substitute for 
us. In answer to this, I remark that these terms fre- 
quently mean deliverance. — Psalms 74 : 2 ; Exodus 15 : 
13, 16 ; Deut. 32 : 6. In these passages the Lord is said 



T H E ATONEMENT. 



to '''redeem," "purchase," and to have^bought" the Jews 
jVom Egyptiaii bondage. Do we understand from this 
that God suffered as their substitute, or that he paid the 
Egyptian Government a stipulated sum for their redemp- 
tion ? None understand the above language in this sense. 
The meaning is, he delivered them from their cruel bon- 
dage. Thus, when we are said to be "redeemed," "pur- 
chased," and"bought" by Christ, the obvious meaning is, 
he delivers and saves from sin.— Matthew 1:21; Titus 
2: 14. 

4. It is said that Christ bore "our sins in his own body 
on the tree." It has been inferred from this that he died 
as a substitute for, and suffered the penalty due the sin- 
ner. In answer to this, I w r ould remark, that different 
persons are said to bear the sins and iniquities of others. 
Ezekiel bore the iniquities of the house of Israel and 
Judah — E^ekiel 4: 4, 6. Does this mean that the 
prophet suffered as a substitute, "in the room and stead" 
of the wicked Jews? Did he bear the penalty due their sins? 
This will hardly be admitted. No doubt the prophet 
bore great hardships and sufferings on the account of the 
Jews, and to reform them ; in this sense Christ bore 
t lie sins of the human family. It was for the good of 
man and to effect his reformation. This sentiment is 
confirmed by the following language of the prophet : 
"He w T as wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised 
for our iniquities ; the chastisement of peace was upon 
him ; and with his stripes we are healed." It was to 
heal man of all his spiritual diseases that Christ suffer- 
ed and died. 

The priests under the law were required to eat of "the meat 
of the sin-offering in the holy place," as being given to them 



The ATotfEMEtff. 



61 



*'io bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make an 
atonement for them before the Lord." Did the priest suf- 
fer as a substitute for, and bear the punishment due the 
wicked Jews ? Aaron is said to "bear the iniquity of the 
holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow, in 
all their holy gifts." Are we to understand from this 
that Aaron suffered for, and bore the punishment due "the 
holy things ? " Surely not ; for the Lord never was wroth 
with inanimate things. It is obvious from the above con* 
siderations, that when Peter said that Christ "bore our 
sins in his own body on the tree," he does not mean that 
he suffered as a substitute for sinners, but that he suffered 
to effect man, and, as he himself explains it, "that he 
fnight bring us to God." 

I have now presented what I understand to be the true 
Bible doctrine of the atonement, and, in conclusion* 
would remark, that the atonement is absolutely essential 
to our happiness in time and'eternity. We must be rec- 
onciled to God if we would enjoy the blessings of salva^ 
tion in time, and ultimately enter into the glorious "rest 
that remains for the people of God." While unreconciled 
to God, we are destitute of that heavenly "peace which 
passeth all understanding," and are exposed to "everlast* 
ing destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from 
the glory of his power." But if we believe in Christ, re* 
pent of our sins, are reconciled to God — brought into a 
state of sweet and holy communion with him— we shall 
enjoy the smiles of heaven, the consolations of the Holy 
Spirit, the fellowship of Christ, the sympathy of the holy 
angels, and when done with the scenes of earth we can 
calmly lie down on the bed of death, and in the sweet 



02 



THE ATONEMENT. 



composure of triumphant faith and hope, adopt the sub- 
lime and elevated strains of the poet : 

"Ye golden lamps of heaven ! farewell, with all your feeble 
light; 

Farewell ! thou ever-changing moon, pale empress of the night ! 
And thou, refulgent orb of day, in brighter flames arrayed, 
My soul, which springs beyond thy sphere, no more demands 
thy aid; 

Ye stars are but the shining dust of my divine abode, 
The pavement of those heavenly courts, where I shall reign 
with God." 

And in the morning of the resurrection, when the thun- 
dering voice of the mighty Son of God shall break the 
slumbers of the tomb, we shall come forth from the dark 
charnel-house of death, clothed in a body "fashioned" 
like unto "the glorious body" of the blessed Christ, and 
unite w r ith the redeemed of the Lord in singing, worthy 
is the Lamb "that w r as slain, and hast redeemed us to 
God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and 
people, and nation ; and hast made us unto our God* 
kings and priests." 



DISCOURSE VI. 



THE VARIOUS PURPOSES TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY 
THE MESSIAH'S DEATH. 

rev. r; 9, 10. 

Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to- God by thy "blood 
out of every kindred,- and tongue, and people, and nation : and 
hast made- us unto our God, kings and priests. 

The history of Christ, from his birth in Bethlehem to 
his ascension from Mount Olivet, is full of deep and 
thrilling interest. He was ushered into the world amid 
the songs of the holy angels, lived a life unparalleled in 
the history of man, and expired amid a display of the 
most awful and sublime phenomena. No character ever 
appeared amid the scenes of earth, possessing such dig- 
nity, performing such sublime works, exhibiting such ex- 
alted virtue, and sustaining such a variety of deep and 
interesting relations to the whole human family, as the 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

The subject of our present meditation and reflection is 
the Savior's death, and the great ends to be accomplished 
by, it. What a deep and interesting subject here opens 
before us ! — a subject in which the "angels desire to look 
into." 

L What are the great ends for which Christ died 2 



64 THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH'S DEATH. 

Various purposes are ascribed to the sufferings and 
death of Christ, in the Scriptures. Dr. Paley has justly 
remarked, "that the death of Jesus Christ is spoken of 
in reference to human salvation, in terms and in a man- 
ner in which the death of no pei'son whatever is spoken 
of besides. Others have died as martyrs as well as our 
Lord. Others have suffered in a righteous cause, as well 
as he ; but that is said of him, and of his death and suf- 
ferings, which is not said of any one else. An efficacy 
and a concern are ascribed to them, in the business of 
human salvation, which are not ascribed to any other. " 
The great, leading object of our Savior's mission, suffer- 
ing, and death, is the salvation of man from sin. This is 
the grand centralizing point around which all other ob- 
jects revolve. All other ends are subservient to this. 
This great and sublime truth is clearly and emphatically 
expressed in the sacred records. The evangelical proph- 
et in speaking of the mission of Christ, and the great 
end to be accomplished by him, says : "The Spirit of the 
Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to 
preach good tidings unto the meek ; he hath sent me to 
bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the 
captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are 
bound ; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and 
the day of vengeance of our God ; to comfort all that 
mourn ; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to 
give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourn- 
ing, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness ; that 
they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting 
of the Lord, that he might be glorified." According to 
this interesting language, Christ came to strike off the 
chains of ignorance, superstition, and sin, that had so 



THE *>t T RPOSES OF THE MESSIAH'S DEATH. 65 



long bound man down to the earth in almost hopeless 
bondage — to bind up the broken heart— to pour into the 
wounded soul the oil of joy and gladness-— -to awaken 
within man new and holier aspirations— -to inspire him 
with a sublime and lofty hope. What a glorious work ? 

When we open the New Testament we read the same 
great truth written in characters of living light upon its 
luminous pages. Read the following beautiful passage 
from the lips of Christ : " And as Moses lifted up the ser- 
pent in the wilderness^ even so must the Son of man be 
lifted up : that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world 
that he gave his only begotten Son, that w T hosoever be- 
lieved in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the 
world, but that the world through him might be saved." 
Here Christ illustrates the great end to be accomplished 
by his mission and death, by a thrilling incident from 
the history of the Jews. For what purpose was the bra- 
zen serpent lifted up ? "The Lord said unto Moses, make 
thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole : and it shall 
come to pass* that every one that is bitten, when he look- 
eth upon it, shall live." This was done that the dying 
Israelite might live. "Even so"— for the same purpose 
^— "the Son of man was lifted up." Christ came, suffer- 
ed, and died, that man "should not perish, but have ever- 
lasting life"— "that the world through him might be 
saved." As a comment upon the above passage from 
the teachings of Christ, read the following emphatic lan- 
guage of Paul : "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of 
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to 
save sinners ." In the following passage we learn what 



CG THE PURPOSES OF T H E MESSIAH'S DEATH. 

he saves sinners from : ''Thou shall call his name Jesus : 
for he shall save his people from their sins." The teach- 
ing of Paul and Peter is in harmony with this language 
of "the angel of the Lord." Paul says of Christ, that he 
"gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all 
iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zeal- 
ous of good works." Peter says : "For as much as ye 
know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, 
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received 
by tradition from your fathers ; but with the precious 
blood of Christ." The salvation of man from sin is 
here represented as the great purpose for which he came 
into the world, suffered and died. "Once in the end of 
the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacri- 
fice of himself." 

Christ has beautifully illustrated the great purpose for 
which he came into the world, suffered, and died, in the 
parable of the lost sheep — Luke 15 : 3, 7. For what 
purpose did the shepherd leave his flock and go after 
that sheep which was lost? That he might find it and 
save it from destruction. For the same purpose Christ 
left the bosom of his Father, came into the world, bled 
and died. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to 
save that which was lost." It is obvious from the above 
considerations that the great end of the Messiah's mis- 
sion and death was the salvation of man from sin, and 
his reconciliation to God. Hence, the redeemed of the 
Lord in heaven, are represented as singing, "Thou art 
worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: 
for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy 
blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and 



THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH'S DEATH. 67 



nation ; and hast made us unto our God kings and 
priests." 

A radical error of the popular doctrine of the atone- 
meat is, that it is regarded as an expedient to deliver the 
Almighty from a conflict in his attributes. A distinguish* 
ed defender of this doctrine says, that "it should be re- 
membered that the salvation of the offender is not the 
chief end of the atonement, but the glory of God's pub- 
lic character. The atonement does this, even if not one 
soul was saved." Now, there is not a single passage in 
the whole Bible that says one word about the "chief end" 
of the Messiah's mission being "the glory of God's pub- 
lic character;" but throughout the Scriptures the salva* 
tion of man from sin is represented as the "chief end" 
of Christ's suffering and death. All that is said in the 
Bible on this point may be summed up in a single sen- 
tence which is most beautifully expressed by Paul : "This 
is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acception, that Je-- 
sus Christ came into the world to save sinners." This 
great leading purpose implies other purposes, subordinate 
io this, which are clearly stated in the sacred records. 

1; Christ suffered that the prophecies might be fulfill- 
ed — "that all things might be fulfilled which were writ- 
ten in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the 
Psalms, concerning him." — Matt. 5: 17; Acts 3: 18. 
In the Hebrew Scriptures we have an unbroken chain of 
prophecy, reaching through the long period of four thou* 
sand years, in which the sufferings and death of Christ 
are clearly predicted ; and if he had not suffered and 
died, these prophecies could not have been fulfilled, and 
his divine authority could not have been, so clearly estab- 
lished as it now is^ 



68 the rimrosEs oti the Messiah's death. 

2. Christ died to comfirm, ratify, and seal the new 
covenant s "For where a testament is, there must, also.; 
of necessity, be the death of the testator. For a testa- 
ment is of force after men are dead : otherwise, it is of 
no strength at all while the testator liveth." The old 
covenant was ratified and sealed -with blood.*— Heb. 9 ; 
18, 20. It was in allusion to this, that our Savior said, 
when he instituted the memorial of his death, "This .is 
my blood of the new-testament, which is shed for many, 
for the remission of sins." 

3. "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to 
suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day : and that 
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in 
his name among all nation^ beginning at Jerusalem." 
—Luke 24: 46, 41. 

4. Christ died as a witness to the truth : "To this end 
was I born, and for this cause cam© I into the world," 
said Christ, "that I should bear witness unto the truth." 

5. Christ died that he might rise i~gainj and thus clear- 
ly illustrate and confirm the doctrine of the resurrection 
and immortality. "I. lay down my life," said Christ, 
"that I might take it again."— John 11 : 25 ; Rev. 1: IS. 

6. Chris! died that he might prepare the way for the 
miraculous effusion of the Holy Spirit. "It is expedient 
for you," said Christ, "that I go away: for if I go not 
away, the Comforter will not come unto you ; but 
if I depart, I will send him unto you." The question 
may be asked, how could the presence of the Spirit be of 
more advantage to the disciples than the presence of 
Christ himself? To this I answer, "that by his departure 
— his death and ascension— by having these great facts 
before theii eyes— they would be led by the Holy Spirit 



THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH'S DEATH. 69 

to see more fully the design of his coming than they could 
by his presence. While he was with them, notwithstand- 
ing the plainest teaching, their ptnids were filled with 
prejudice and error. They still adhered to the expecta- 
tion of a temporal kingdom, and ware unwilling to be- 
lieve that he must die. When he had actually left them 
they could no longer doubt on this subject, and were pre- 
pared to understand the great end of his coming. Again ; 
Christ; while on earth could be present in but one place 
at a time .; but in order to secure the salvation of man, it 
was necessary to have an agent that could be present in 
all places at the same time— who could attend all minis- 
tries, and apply the truth to all hearts, in all parts of the 
world."— Barnes, on John 14: 15, IT. 

7. Christ suffered and died, not only that he might rise 
"for our justification," but that "he might enter into heav- 
en, now to appear in the presence of God for us. "—Luke 
2i : 26; Act 5 : SO, 31 ; Rom. 14 : 3. 

8. He died that he might be made a perfect Savior, per- 
fectly adapted to the wants of man.- — Heb. 2 : 10 ; 5 ; 
8, 9. 

9. He died as the great antitype of the sacrifices of 
the old covenant.— Heb. 10 : 3, 12. 

10. He suffered to set us a perfect example— 1 Pet 
2 : 21. 

11. He died to remove the separating wall between the 
Jews and Gentiles— to slay the enmity of the human 
heart— to unite all the tribes of the earth in one great 
brotherhood — to inspire them with one spirit— to make 
them one even as he and his Father are one.— Eph, 2 : 
13, 16 ; Col. 2 : 14. 

12. Christ died to demonstrate the depth and strength 



70 THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH*S DEATH. 

of his Father's love to man, and to give us the broadest 
possible grounds for confidence and hope. — Rom. 5:8; 
8 : 32 ; 1 Pet. 3 : 18. 

I have now pointed out the various purposes to be 
accomplished by the death of Christ ; and these are all sub- 
ordinate to the one great purpose — the salvation of man 
from sin. Did Christ die that the Scriptures might be ful- 
filled ? It was to accomplish the salvation of man. "To 
him gave all the prophets witness, that through his nam*) 
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of 
sins." Did he shed his blood to seal the New Covenant ? 
It was to secure the redemption of man from sin. "This 
is the covenant I will make with them after those days, 
saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their hearts, and 
in their minds will I write them; and their sins and in- 
iquities will I remember no more." Did he lay down his 
life that he might rise from the dead ? It was for our sal- 
vation. He "was delivered for our offences* and raised 
again for our justification," Did he die that he mj^ht 
open the way for the miraculous effusion of the Holy 
Spirit? This w r as to lead man to repentance and salva- 
tion. "When he (the Comforter) is come, he will reprove 
the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." 
Did he suffer that he might enter into glory ? It was for 
our salvation. "It was therefore necessary that the pat- 
terns of things in the heavens should be purified with 
these — but the heavenly things themselves with better 
sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the 
holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the 
true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence 
of God for us." Did he suffer that he might be made a 
perfect Saviour ? It was that man might be saved. "Be- 



THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH'S DEATH, 



ing made perfect, he became the author of eternal salva- 
tion unto all them that obey him." Did he suffer as the 
antitype of the sacrifices of the law? It was to redeem 
man from sin. "Once in the end of the world hath he 
appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Did 
he die to break down the partition wall between the Jews 
and Gentiles ? It was clone that God "in the dispensa- 
tion of the fullness of time, might gather together in one 
all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which 
are on earth, even in him ; in whom also we have obtained 
an inheritance." Did he die to confirm the truth of the 
Gospel ? It was that we might be sanctified "through 
the truth." Did he die to exhibit the depth and strength 
of his Father's love to man ? It was that man might be 
led to repentance, and inspired w T ith faith and hope in 
God. "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." 
Thus we see that all the purposes for which Christ died, 
are subordinate to the one great and sublime end — -the 
salvation of man from. sin. 

But it is objected, that if the salvation of man from sin 
is all that Christ came to accomplish, it did not require a 
Savior of such dignity, and would not admit of such strong 
language as is applied to Christ. In answer to this I 

DC i i 

would ask, what is the greatest work that he can do for 
man ? Of course, it is that which will be the greatest 
blessing to man — which will result in the most good to 
him. Now, I hesitate not to assert, that the greatest good 
that can be done for man, is to save him from sin — from 
the love of sin — to cleanse the heart — to purify the con- 
science — to make him holy — to inspire him with a spirit 
of devotion and love. This is an infinitely greater work 
than saving man from an outward hell ; for man's happi- 



12 THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAHS DEATH. 

ness, or misery, flows from within, and not from a foreign 
source. Save man from an outward hell, and take him 
to heaven, but leave him in unrepentod sin, with an un- 
sanctifled heart, with all his sinful habits and grovelling 
aims —and even amid the glories of heaven, the society of 
angels, the undying splendors of immortality, and the 
songs of the redeemed, he would be unhappy. It is a 
small consideration with him that he is saved from an 
outward hell, and that another has suffered in his stead,— 
for he carries a hell in his own bosom, that sheds its 
blackness over his spirit, even amid the glories and hap- 
piness of paradise. But, on the other hand, save man from 
sin, purify his heart, purge his conscience, inspire him 
with a devout and holy spirit, breathe into his soul the 
spirit of Christ, and even amid the darkness, gloom, and 
misery of hell, he would be proof against its torments. 
He cannot but be happy. He carries a heaven in his 
own bosom, that no foreign power can take from him. 
Then, we say, emphatically, that the greatest work that 
Christ can do for man is to save him from sin. 

II. How are the ends for which Christ died accom- 
plished ? We have seen that the great end is the salva- 
tion of man from sin, "The blood of Jesus Christ clean- 
seth from all sin." How is this great work accomplish* 
ed ? By effecting the reformation of man — by slaying 
the enmity of the heart— destroying the love of sin — sub- 
duing the rebellion of the will, and turning the sinner to 
God. Paul gives us the following beautiful comment on 
this point. "We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, 
disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, 
living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one anoth- 
er. But, after that, the kindness and love of God, our 



THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH'S DEATH. 73 



Savior, toward man, appeared, not by works of righteous- 
ness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he 
saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing 
of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, 
through Jesus Christ our Savior." Here Paul explains 
how we are saved from sin : "By the washing of regener- 
ation, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." This great 
work is accomplished "through Jesus Christ our Savior." 

By his mission, suffering, death, resurrection, ascen- 
sion, Christ has sealed the New Covenant, confirmed the 
truths of "the everlasting Gospel," imparted influences, 
given motives, and established a great system of religion, 
by which man is cleansed from sin, and reconciled to 
God. It is by these means that man is saved from sin, 
Hence, said Peter, '-Seeing ye have purified your souls 
in obeying the truth through the Spirit." The soul is 
"purified" from sin "by obeying the truth" — by a faithful 
use of the means of grace. 

In the mission, suffering, and death of Christ, we have 
a glorious manifestation of the mercy of God, his abhor* 
rence of sin, his approbation of virtue, and the love of his 
Son, "who suffered for us the just for the unjust, that he 
might bring us to God" — all calculated, in an infinitely 
higher degree than any former manifestation, to reconcile 
man to God. "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and 
the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctif eth 
to the purifying of the flesh, — how much more shall the 
blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered 
himself without spot unto God, purge your conscience 
from dead works, to serve the living God?" It is only by ef- 
fecting the reformation of the sinner, that he can be saved 
from sin ; he cannot be saved from sin by another suffering 



THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAIl's DEATH* 

the penalty due his sins* This may save him from an out- 
ward hell, but it cannot save him from sin itself — from the 
love, dominion, power, and practice of sin. If you wish- 
ed to cleanse a drunkard from the sin of drunkenness, 
how would you go to work to accomplish it ? By re- 
forming him, by influencing him to break off from this sin- 
ful practice, and lead a new life. It is thus that Christ 
cleanses the sinner from sin, by leading him to repent- 
ance and reformation. 

As the Gospel was established by the mission, suffer- 
ing, death, and resurrection of Christ, of course all the 
blessings that we receive from it are to be ascribed to his 
blood. The blessings of Christianity are "shed on us 
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior." No exhibi- 
tion that God ever made of himself to the world, is so ad- 
mirably adapted to lead man to himself, as the gift of his 
Son — nothing is so well calculuted to subdue the rebel- 
lious will, melt the hard heart, and draw the affections 
of man to himself* "Herein is love, not that we loved God, 
but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitia- 
tion for our sins." "God commendeth his love toward 
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 
Here we behold the strength and depth of our Creator's 
love for us, and the deep interest that he leels in man's 
redemption and happiness. 

In conclusion, let us pause and contemplate for a mo- 
ment the death of the blessed Christ. What a thrilling 
and sublime scene arises before the mind ! All that is 
grand, awful, and soul-stirring, clusters around the cross. 
Look yonder ! What do I behold ? The Lamb of God 
nailed to the cross between two malefactors, to darken 
his glory and blot his name! The Jews are his accusers, 



THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH'S DEATH. 



7 5 



find the Romans his executioners. The world is com- 
bined against him, and the disciples have forsaken hiiD„ 
in this dark hour of peril. What a scene ! There hangs 
the blessed Savior between the heavens and the earth, as 
though he was an outcast of both, and unworthy of eith- 
er. His temples are pierced with a crown of thorns, and 
the blood is running down his divine countenance. Ke 
is surrounded by a multitude of inveterate enemies, revi- 
ling him. Whilst the powers of darkness are thus com- 
bined against him, mocking and deriding him, and cover- 
ing him with disgrace^ nature herself steps forward, and 
with a mighty hand wipes off the disgrace that his ene- 
mies have heaped upon him, and sustains him in his ma- 
jesty. The sun withdraws his light, and rolls back his 
mighty chariot, and midnight darkness spreads its robe of 
sackcloth over his brilliant disc, and shrouds the world in 
mourning. Earthquakes thunder from their Tartarean 
dens. The earth shakes, the rocks rend, the graves open, 
all nature is aroused, and here brings to a centre all that 
is awful and sublime in her realm, as the magnanimous 
sufferer expires. Hark! — what voice is that I hear? It 
is the voice of the blessed Redeemer : "Eli, Eli, Lama 
Sabachthani ? — that is to say, "My God, my God, why 
hast thou forsaken me ?" What means that confusion 
yonder in the temple ? "The vail is rent in twain from 
the top to the bottom," and the Sanctum Sanctorum is 
thrown open to the view of the multitude. Again, the 

Savior cries, with a mighty voice, "It is finished," and 
gives up the ghost. 

"He dies, the friend of sinners dies V" 
Can we turn away from the contemplation of this pa- 
thetic scene, with a hard heart and careless mind ? 



THE PURPOSES OF THE MESSIAH^ DEATH, 



*<Can we survey the scene of woe, 
Where mingling grief and mercy flow, 
And yet our hearts so hard remain, 
As not to move with love or pain ? 

I look, I gaze, my rebel heart, 

Feels its own hardness soon depart ; 

Repenting tears begin to roll, 

And love in streams flows through my soul. 

The cross I view — wondrous love ! 
My sins expire — my fears remove \ 
My wicked enmity is slain, 
I'm reconcil'd— I'm born again," 



DISCOURSE VIL 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST, 
i TiM. n : 5. 

There is one God, and one mediator between God and man* 
the man Christ Jestiss 

There is a beautiful simplicity in all the arrangement! 
'of the universe, both in the kingdom of nature and of 
grace. How different are they from the plans and devi- 
ses of man. Here we observe the truth of the divine 
saying, "my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are 
your ways my ways, saith the Lord." Men have imag- 
ined that they could not sufficiently multiply the objects 
of religious adoration) and have fancied that they could not 
interpose too many friends, of mediators between their in* 
significance and the infinite majesty of heaven. Hence, 
we find, that man has multiplied the objects of worship, 
and crowded the access td the eternal throne with num- 
berless mediators to solicit the mercy and forgiveness of 
God. 

Men have multiplied the number of mediators until 
they have hid the face of the great Supreme, and their 
dependency upon Him has been forgotten* But in the beau- 
tiful simplicity of the mighty universe 5 which the imag- 



18 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



ination of man cannot grasp, there is but one infinite, 
eternal, and omniscient God, who should be the object 
of all religious adoration ; and but one mediator. The 
simplicity of God's government rejects the crowd of me- 
diators that man has introduced to shelter his weakness, 
aod appoints but one mediator between God and man, 
one to be the medium of his communication to them and 
of their approach to him. There is but one on the 
throne, and but one before the throne. "For there is but 
one God, and one mediator between God and man, the 
man Christ Jesus." 

The whole system of divine government, both in the 
material and spiritual universe, is a sublime system of me- 
diation, God carries on all the affairs of the universe by 
the means of agents. He does not create man by an im- 
mediate and direct act of his power. Pie calls him into 
existence by the agency of parents. He does not supply 
the wants of man by a direct act of his power — by sen 1- 
ing down manna from heaven ; but through the aaency of 
sunshine and rain, and a multitude of established causes. 
The blessings of the material universe come to us, not by a 
dire est act of omnipotence, but through the agency of estab- 
lished laws. The physical blessings of life, that are es- 
sential to our happiness, flow to us through second cau- 
ses. The fresh and blooming spring, the warm and glow- 
ing summer, the mild and lovely autumn, the cold and 
stormy winter, the sunshine and rain, the earth and the 
air, are all agencies through which the blessings of God 
flow to us. 

All the blessings of life come to us through the medium 
of second causes. God does not infuse wis lom and 
knowledge into the mind of man, by a direct act of his 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



79 



power. Our fellow men are made the medium through 
which we receive the blessings of knowledge and wisdom. 
We receive life, knowledge, support and safety through 
the labors and sufferings of others. Sometimes whole 
nations are rescued from oppression and ruin by the labor, 
suffering, and resolution of one individual. All the bles- 
sings of social, civil, and religious life, that we so richly 
enjoy, w 7 ere secured to us by the labors, sufferings and 
toils of our predecessors. When the Lord would bless 
the human family he raises up human benefactors, and 
when he would chastise, he raises up enemies. He bless- 
ed the Jewish nation through the agency of Moses, Joshua, 
David, Cyrus, Josiah, and Daniel ; and he inflicted pun- 
ishment upon them by the hands of the Assyrians, the 
Philistians, the Bablylonians, and the Romans. The 
Lord has blessed the world through the labors of a Luther, 
a Zwingles, a Malancthon, a Calvin, a Wichliff, a Wes- 
ley, and a Charming. 

The almost infinite variety of machinery that has 
lightened the toils of man, and added so much to the 
comfort and happiness of the human family, have come 
to us through the intellectual and physical labor of man. 
All the physical, intellectual, civil, and religious bless- 
ings of life come to us through second causes. Thus we 
see that the government of God is a great system of med- 
itation. 

When we assend from the system of divine providence 
to the economy of redemtion we find the same principle 
of mediation. God bestows the blessings of his spiritual 
kingdom upon us through a mediation. He could, no 
doubt, have raised man from his fallen state, and elevated 
him to purity and immortal life by an immediate and di* 



60 tttE MEDIATION OP CHRIST. 

rect act of his omnipotence ; but. for wise purposes, he 
chose to redeem him through the agency of a mediator. 
In this the plan of reclemtion harmonises with the econ- 
omy of nature, and the great system of divine providence. 
There is a striking and beautiful analogy between the es* 
tnblished method of divine providence, and the arrange* 
ments of the kingdom of grace. In his providence, God 
blesses us through the labor tad suffering of our fellow 
men, and in the economy of redemtion, he blesses us 
through the suffering and toil of his Son. Through him 
we are raised to holiness and heaven. 

Christ is the great mediator between God and man. 
He is stiled the mediator in four* different passages, l&t 
Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8 : 6 ; 9 : 15 ; 12 : 24. A mediator is 
one who acts between two parties. He is the medium of 
communication between them. Such a character is needed 
among men, not in the ordinary current of affairs ; but 
when differences occur. Hence, a mediator has come to 
be stiled a peace maker, or one who affects a reconsilia* 
lion between parties at variance. In this sense, the word 
may be applied to our Savior; for one great object of 
his mission was to reconcile man to God. Christ came 
to make men the friends of God, by destroying the enmity 
of their hearts, and inspiring them with a spirit of love 
and obedience to him. Hence it is said ''that God was 
in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself." "For it 
pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. 
And having made peace through the blood of the cross 
by him to reconcile all things unto himself." 

But the word as applied to Christ is to be understood 
in a more extended sense. The word mediator as used in 
the New Testament means one who is the medium of 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST* 



81 



communication between God and mam An inspired wri- 
ter in speaking of the Law of Moses soys: "It was or- 
dained by angels in the hand of a mediator/' The fol- 
lowing language of Moses explains this affirmation of 
Paul . "I stood between the Lord and you at that time, 
to show you the word of the Lord*" Moses was a medi- 
ator^ not in the restricted sense of a peace maker, but as 
the medium of communication between God and the 
Israelites. 

In this sense we are to understand the word as applied 
to Christ. This is the obvious meaning of the following 
passage-, "He is the mediator of a b*etter covenant." 
Now, as Moses was the mediator of the old covenanant, 
or the medium through which it was communicated to the 
Jews, so Christ is the medium through w r hich the New 
Covenant is communicated to man. 

Christ is the chosen messenger of love, the great medi- 
um through which God communicates his instruction to 
man. It is through him God speaks to the world. "I 
will raise them up," said the Lord to Moses, "a prophet 
from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put 
my words in his mouth ; and he shall speak Unto them all 
that I shall command him." The following language of 
Christ is a beautiful comment upon this prophecy : "I 
have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, 
he'gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I 
should speak. As the Father hath taught me, I speak that 
which I have seen with my Father," hence, said Paul, "God 
hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son." "The 
law came by Moses," the mediator of the old covenant, 
"but grace and truth by Jesus Christ," who is the mediator 

of the new covenant. It is through Christ that God corri- 
6 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



municates his messages of love and mercy to the world. 
In him he speaks to us as a kind and tender parent, invi- 
ting us in the language of parental kindness to come to him 
and be saved. 

Christ came from heaven to earth to bring a message of 
love and mercy to man — to publish the glad tidings of 
salvation to a perishing world. Hence, he is styled "the 
messenger of the covenant." Paul calls him "the media- 
tor of the New covenant. " Paul evidently means that he 
is the chosen messenger of mercy by whom it was brought. 

It is in this sense that we are to understand our text. 
God has established a covenant with man, and pledged to 
him his promises. Christ, through whose instrumentality 
this is done, is for this reason called "The mediator be- 
tween God and man." 

Christ is the medium through which all the blessings 
of the spiritual kingdom flow to man. As in the natural 
kingdom we receive the physical blessings of life through 
the operation of second causes, so in the spiritual king- 
dom wo receive its blessings through the medium of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. "The washing of regeneration, and 
renewing of the Holy Ghost, are shed on us through Jesus 
Christ our Savior. " "All spiritual blessings in heavenly 
places," come through Christ. Through him "are grace 
and truth" revealed to the world. Through him we have 
redemption — through him are "repentance and remission of 
sins, peace with God," and "the gift of eternal life." All 
that we have received, pertaining to life and godliness, 
come to us through Christ. Through him we have re- 
ceived all that we know of the plan of salvation, and he 
has made certain all that we hope for. Except in Christ 
we have no moral and spiritual strength, no fixed and se- 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST, 



83. 



cure principle of virtue, no hope of forgiveness and mercy, 
The revelation of God, contained in the sacred record, is 
our only foundation ; and it is made to us through Christ, 
Through him God has revealed himself to man. 

Christ is not only the medium through which the bles- 
sings of God flow to man, but he is also the channel 
through which man approaches God, He brings down 
from heaven the messages of love, mercy, and forgive- 
ness; and bears up to God the offerings of men. He is 
the way, the truth, and the life. Through him God speaks 
to man, and man offers up his prays to heaven. As all 
the blessings of the spiritual kingdom are conferred upon 
us through Christ ; so all the services and sacrifices, 
which we are enabled to preform and offer up through the 
aid afforded to us by his gospel, should be presented to 
the Father in and through him. 

Christ taught his disciples to ask in his name : ^What- 
soever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give 
it you." As this is the prescribed form of prayer, let us 
enquire what is meant by it . We may learn what is meant 
by it by considering the sense in w T hich the phrase is used 
in other instances. It is said that "Haggai, the prophet, 
and Zachariah, the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews 
that were in Judea and Jerusalem in the name of the God of 
Israel." The obvious meaning is, that they spake by the 
authority of God. "The king, Ahasuerus said unto Esther 
the queen, write ye also unto the Jews, as it liketh you, 
in the king's name that is, by his authority. In the 
name of Christ, signifies by his authority, "Many will 
say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not proph- 
esied in thy name ? and in thy name have cast out devils ? 
and in thy name done many wonderful works f- That 



84 



T&fc ilEDIATlOK 6F CHRIST. 



is they did It by his authority. ''Repent and be baptised 
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ." The 
obvious meaning is they were to be baptized by his au^ 
thority. Christ said, "I came in my Father's name." 
That is by his authority. "The works that I do in my 
Father's name, they bear witness of me." As Christ 
came in the name or by the authority of his Father, so 
the disciples preached stnd wfoiight miracles in his name* 
or by his authority. 

We are commanded "to do alJ things in the name of 
the Lord Jesus." The obvious meaning is that we are to 
do all things by his authority, and in c'onfofmity with the 
spirit of his religion. To pray "in his name" is one of 
the things that we are to do, and must be interpreted in 
the s&me manner* 

It is obvious from the above considerations, that to- 
pray "in the name" of Christ, is to pray by his authority, 
in obedience to his commands, trusting in his promises* 
as members of the great family that he has brought nigh 
to God, and given access to the throne. We should pray- 
as the disciples of Christ, guided by faith in him, and gov- 
erned by the devout and holy disposition that he requires ; 
"through him," that is through the directions that he has 
given for acceptable prayer, and the encouragements that 
he has given to sincere worshippers. To pray "in the 
name" of Christ is to pray by his authority, according to 
his teaching, and in the character' and with the spirit of 
his disciples. 

According to a common figure of speech, the name of a 
person is put for his doctrine or religion. Hence, it is 
said, that "Moses is preached every Sabbath day." The 
obvious meaning is, his religion is preached every Sabbath. 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



85 



Paul said, "we preach Christ;'* that is, his doctrine or re- 
ligion. We are said "to put on Christ," "to be in Christ," 
"to profess Christ;" by which is evidently meant, that we 
are to embrace, adopt, to profess the religion of Christ. 
Thus, in the instance of prayer through Christ, we may 
understand, through his religion, his doctrine. It is 
through his religion, doctrine, instruction, promise, and 
encouragement, that we are enabled to come to God and 
worship him acceptably. It is through these that the 
heart is prepared, and we are led to the throne of mercy. 
We approach the mercy-seat, because the instructions and 
promises of Christ, lead us there. We approach the 
throne of mercy as his disciples, by his authority, and by 
faith in him. Coming in this character, gives us hope and 
confidence that our heavenly Father will hear and answer 
our petitions,, 

We might a§ well pray in the name of Numa, Zoroas- 
ter, or Mahomet, as in the name of Christ, unless we come 
to the throne as the disciples of Christ, according to his in- 
structions, by faith in him, possessing the true spirit of his 
religion. It is this alone that can give us any confidence 
of being heard, when we approach the throne of God. 

We are not to trust to the interposition of Christ alone 
in our prayers ; but we must come in the true spirit of his 
disciples and according to his directions. Christ said, 
"Ye shall ask in my name ; and I say not unto you that 
I will pray the Father for you ; " that is, ,you are not to 
depend for acceptance on my intercession alone, but must 
come in the true spirit of my disciples; for he adds, "For 
my Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, 
and have believed that I came out from God." From this, 
we learn that availing prayer in the name of Christ, is 



86 



the Mediation of chrisT. 



that which conies from the hearts of those who love hirrt. 
However, availing the intercession of Christ may be, it is 
promised to none but the honest and devout Christian, 
This agrees with the testimony of John. "Whatsoever 
w r e ask we receive of him, because we keep his command- 
ments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight. 

The mediatorial office of Christ did not close with his 
life. His interest in the human race, did not cease with 
his labors on earth. When he passed from this to the 
spiritual world, he did not lose his sympathy and love 
for man* His labors and efforts for man's salvation, did 
not end with his toils on earth. His sympathy for 
man is as deep and ardent as when he wept over Jerusa- 
lem, or dropped the sympathizing tear with the sorrowing 
sisters, at the grave of their brother. Though he is sur- 
rounded by the glory and honor of heaven, and receives 
the adoration of angels, archangels, and the highest 
dignitaries amid all the ranks of the powers ; yet he has 
not lost his sympathy for, and his interest in the salva* 
tion of the human race. His feelings have not changed 
with his state. He has not lost his solicitude for that 
work in which he lived, suffered, and died. His ardent 
devotion to the interests of his church, and the emanci- 
pation of the human family, from the thraldom of sin, 
did not expire with his life upon the cross. It is not to 
be supposed, that he who watched over the interests of 
his growing church, with such deep and thrilling interest, 
and sought for it the richest blessings of heaven, down to 
the time the cloud received him from human sight, should 
from that moment lose all interest in, and cease to in- 
tercede for it with God. This is unphilosophical and ab- 
surd* Can any one suppose that when Christ ascended 



THE MEDIATION? OF CHRIST. 



to heaven, that he not only lost all interest in his church, 
but all liberty of interceding with God for man ? This 
is unreasonable to suppose. 

When Christ ascended from earth to heaven, he passed 
Into a higher and more extensive field of labor ; where he 
is now actively engaged in laboring for the good of the 
•universe of mind. He is still laboring for the salvation 
of man from sin. He still intercedes for them with his 
Father. He who prayed with such fervor and earnestness 
for his disciples while on earth, still continues his prayers 
in the presence of his Father. ! what a blessed thought ? 

This sentiment is in perfect harmony with all the teach- 
ings of the New Testament. According to the New Tes- 
tament writers, Christ still fills the mediatorial office,— 
that he has a permanent connection with the human fam- 
ily, — that he is continually, in all ages, in all times, em- 
ployed and interested in behalf of the human family, — 
that his kindness to the children of men is constantly 
operating., — that he never ceases to do good, — that he ev- 
er lives, and is ever active for mankind, — that he is through 
all time the active, efficient friend of man. 

When Christ spoke of his death, he never spoks as 
though it would separate him from the interests and af- 
fairs of the human family, destroy all his connection with 
men, and close his efforts for their good. He looked at 
it as an event that would open the door of a nobler, wi- 
der, and more important field of labor, when he could 
contribute more extensively to the regeneration and sal- 
vation of man. "I go to prepare a place for you." "When 
I am lifted up I will draw all men to me." "It is expe- 
dient for you that I go away ; for if I go not away, the 
comforter will not come unto you ; but if I depart, I will 
send him unto you.' 9 



88 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



After his resurrection, Christ never spoke of bis work, 
as though he had finished it by dying and rising again ; 
but he spoke as though he had a great work to do. "All 
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. So I am 
with you alway, even unto the end of the world." 

The apostles represent Christ as still interested in, and 
laboring for the good of man. According to them, he 
still fills the office of a mediator, and intercedes for aaan. 
Paul says, "-that he* is risen again, who is even at the right 
hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. For 
Christ hath not entered into the holy places made with 
hands, which are the figures of the true ; but into heaven 
itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." John 
says, "If any man sin, he hath an advocate w r ith the Fath- 
er, Jesus Christ the- righteous." 

As a reward of his humiliation, suffering, and death, 
Christ was exalted to the throne of universal empire? 
and all power in heaven and earth was given unto 
him. All the thrones, principalities and powers, in 
heaven and earth, were put under his juridical au- 
thority, and are amenable to him. All nature is 
subject to him. To his hands is committed the gov- 
ernment of the kingdom of nature, providence, and 
grace. He- is ever present, by his knowledge and power, 
with his people. He never forgets nor loses sight of the 
interests of the race, for which he labored, suffered, and 
died. He watches over the interests of the church, and 
intercedes for his people. 

We are not told in the Scriptures in what the interces- 
sion of Christ consists ; but we may form some idea of 
this from his history, as recorded by the Evangelists. In- 
tercession signifies, to interpose in behalf of another^ to> 51 



THE JIED1ATI0N OF CHRIST. 



89 



third party, that has power to bestow favor. This may be 
done either by word or action. All that Christ has done 
for us by his life, suffering, death and prayers, are a part 
of his intercessory office. Though it may be understood 
in this general sense, yet it may be more strictly exact to 
confine it to intercessory prayer. This seems to be the 
more usual sense of the word in the Scriptures, and in 
our own language. The correct idea of Christ's interces- 
sion seems to me to be, that as he poured out his prayers, 
and sacrificed his life for the salvation of man, when on 
earth, so he does not forget, in his exalted state, to seek 
his benefit by his prayers, and thus expresses his deep in- 
terest in the happiness of those for whom he labored, suf- 
fered, and died. 

In the pathetic, beautiful, and thrilling prayer of our 
Savior, recorded in the lTth chapter of John, we have a 
beautiful illustration of the intercession of Christ. This 
is a striking example of Chrises intercession for his disci- 
ples ; and, in his prayer on the cross for his murderers, we 
have an illustration of his intercession for sinners. Pray- 
er is the sincere and earnest desire of the soul ascending 
to God. The fervent and earnest desire of Christ for the 
salvation and happiness of man, is expressed in all his 
actions, and glows in the language of his prayers. 

The intercession of Christ is in harmony with the meth- 
od of God's operation in the kingdom of nature, provi- 
dence, and grace. The vast universe of God is a great 
system of mutual dependence. Nothing stands alone. 
No being in the universe, aside from God, exists alone. 
All are dependent upon each other. Each individual i3 
made to help his fellows, and to receive help from'them. 
There is a mutual dependence throughout society, ilvea 



90 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



ihe ponderous worlds, that roll through the extensive 
wilds of ether, are dependent upon each other, and are 
held in their respective orbits by mutual influence. Man 
is dependent upon another for his life, and all that renders 
it desirable and happy. The parent and the child, the 
teacher and the student, the king and the subject, the rich 
and the poor, are all essential to each other. When we 
look abroad in the universe of God, we find nothing that 
was made for itself alone ; but all seems to have been 
made for the benefit of others. "No one 1 i vetli to himself." 

The mediation and intercession of Christ are a part ol 
this great and sublime system of dependency. It is one 
link in ihe great chain that binds all together. In har- 
mony with the great universal law of kindness, God has 
ordained that his children on earth shall receive his bles- 
sings and favors through the mediation of his Son. 

We behold the same principle in the operations of Di- 
vine Providence. With what complacency did the Lord 
listen to the earnest and importunate prayer of Abraham 
for the wicked city of Sodom. How often were the wick- 
ed Jews saved by the intercession of Moses. Job's friends 
were pardoned, at his interposition and prayer. The Lord 
hearkened to the prayers of David, Solomon, Samuel, Eli- 
sha, — and to all that came to him in faith and honesty of 
soul. 

We find the same principle running through all the 
teachings of the New Testament. Here Christians are 
commanded to pray for one another, and instructed to 
make intercession for all men. "The prayer of faith shall 
save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. Confess 
your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that 
ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a 
righteous man avail eth much." 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



91 



Thus we see, that the mediation and intercession of 
Christ, are in harmony with all the methods of divine op» 
eration and administration of the government of God. It 
is a part of a great universal system of mediation. The 
intercession of Christ rests upon the same foundation 
with prayer. They must stand or fall together. 

The mediation of Christ is not designed to effect a change 
in the disposition of God. The intercession of Christ 
is not designed to change God from wrath to mercy. The 
love of God is the origin of the whole plan of salvation, 
and the intercession of Christ presupposes that he is mer- 
ciful and willing to bestow his blessings on his children. 
The mediation of Christ is the appointed means through 
which the mercy of God is sought and flows to man. When 
I go to God in humble prayer, and ask him for the bles- 
sings that I so much need, it is not because he is unwil* 
ling to bestow them on me,— but for just the opposite rea- 
son. I go to him because he is mercifully disposed to be^ 
stow them upon me. 

It is perfectly consistent with reason and revelation, 
that man, who is dependent upon God for his life, and all 
its concomitant blessings, should acknowledge his depen- 
dence upon the author of all good, by humble prayer. 
This is just and right in the nature of things. It is also 
right that man should pray, from the consideration that 
prayer brings us into a proper state to receive, ap- 
preciate, and enjoy the blessings of God. When man is 
in a proper state of mind to pray, he is in a proper state to 
receive and enjoy the mercy and forgiveness of God — and 
not till then. 

Prayer has its foundation in the nature of things, and 
is calculated to bless and happify the soul of man. It 



92 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



sheds a healthy influence over the soul. It tends to pu» 
rify the heart, elevate and refine the thoughts, strengthen 
and enlarge the sympathies, subdue the passions, and 
bring man into close union with heaven. 

The intercession of Christ is admirably adapted to awa- 
ken a spirit of gratitude in the soul, and promote the 
growth of religious affection. It is calculated to call out 
and cultivate the heart, and make men better. To know 
that we are thought of in heaven, and that our best, most 
benevolent, and devoted friend there, takes a deep and 
thrilling interest in our spiritual welfare, and makes men- 
tion of us to our heavenly Father, is calculated to excite 
a spirit of devout and grateful affection in the soul, to 
make us feel that we have to do with something better 
than the sins and follies of earth, that we are immor- 
tal — that we were created for a higher and nobler state 
than this — and that we ought to be holy, and cultivate 
those affections, sympathies, and virtues, that will prepare 
us for that sublime state. 

The thought that a beloved friend, who is near and dear 
to us — whose heart is one with ours, and is deeply inter- 
ested in our happiness, daily remembers us at the throne 
of mercy, and earnestly implores the blessings of heaven 
for us, is calculated to arouse us to earnest thought and 
action, that we may not be unworthy of the prayers thus 
presented, and forfeit the blessings so earnestly implored 
for us, How often has the thought that a pious and affec- 
tionate mother, was earnestly engaged at a throne of grace 
for him, aroused the wandering prodigal to reflection, 
and lei him to repent, reform, and obey God's com- 
mands. The thought that the minister of the cross is 
deeply interested in their salvation, and earnestly prays 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRISTi 



for them, has often lei the thoughtless to reflection and 
to GocL How often has the Minister* amid the toils, la* 
bors, and sorrows of life, been cheered and encouraged by 
the thought, th&t the devoted and faithful among his flock 
were imploring the favor and mercy of heaven for him. 
This thought ife a balnl to his soul. It animates and 
excites him to earnest and persevering effort to dd good. 
Oh, then, how should the thought that he who is more 
than a friend, more than a brother, ever liveth in the pres- 
ence of God, to make intercession for us, inspirit our de* 
votion, excite our &eal* quicken our improvement, console 
us in trouble, and encourage us, When doubtful and des- 
ponding! Oh, what a blessed thought, that we have a 
friend in the presence of the eternal throne, that never 
forgets us, and is ever earnestly engaged for our good ! It 
should quicken into life and action the warmest affec- 
tions and sympathies of the soul, and arouse us to earnest 
thought and action* 

The intercession of Christ should arouse us to watch - 
fulness. The thought that the blessed Christ is deeply 
interested in our salvation, and watches over us with such 
anxious desire, should awaken a deeper interest in our 
hearts, and make us more anxious for our soul's redemp- 
tion. Ail habitual persuasion of this great truth, and dai- 
ly meditation upon it, will, in the very nature of things* 
increase our interest and watchfulness ; but, if we forget 
it, we will fall. Our faith will fail, if not secured and 
strengthened by grateful recollection of what is still done 
for us. 

The intercession of Christ is a source of consolation 
and strength in the hour of temptation, sorrow, and afflic- 
tion. When we feel our weakness and insufficiency— 



94 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



when the world is dark and gloomy — when peace has de- 
parted from our hearts — when earthly friends forsake us — 
when the storm and tempest howl around us, — we may 
find this doctrine a soothing and strengthening power. W e 
lean upon the arm of one who was tempted in all points 
as we are, and "was made perfect through suffering." 
Though our friends may forsake us in the dark hour of 
peril, and we may be cut off from the sympathies of soci- 
ety, yet we have a friend in the presence of the Eternal 
Throne, that will never forsake us, and will never with- 
draw his sympathies from us. We gather strength from 
the assurance that we have the sympathy of Christ, w 7 ho, 
in his humiliation, suffered for us ; and now that he is ex- 
alted, does not forget us. "Seeing, then, that we have a 
great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, 
the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we 
have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the 
feeling of our infirmities ; but was in all points tempted 
like as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come 
boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain 
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." 

! wh-at a blessed thought, that Christ lives to die no 
more — that he lives forever in the presence of God, the 
friend of man — -that he lives, for sinners to save, and his 
followers to bless. 

He lives, to still his servants' fears: 
He lives, to wipe away their tears, 
He lives, their mansions to prepare; 
He lives, to bring them safely there ! 

Ye mourning souls, dry up your tears, 
Dismiss you gloomy doubts and fears, 
With cheerful hope your hearts revive, 
For Christ, the Lord, is yet alive! 



THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST. 



His saints he loves and never leaves 
The contrite sinner he receives; 
Abundant grace will he afford, 
Till all are present with the Lord! 



DISCOURSE VIII. 



THE PROPITIATORY, AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OP GOD. 

Romans III : 24 — 26. 

Being justified freely by his grace, thfough the redemption 
that is in Christ Jesus : whom God hath set forth to be a propi- 
tiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness 
for the remission Of sins that are past, through the forbearance 
of God 5 to declare, I say& at this time his righteousness : that 
he might be just, and the jUstifier of him that belie veth in Jesus. 

This is one of the most important passages in the sa* 
tred records. It comprehends the whole plan of human 
redemption— the origin, the medium, the condition, and 
the blessed results of salvation. The "grace of God," is 
the fountain — ct Christ Jesus," the medium — "faith in his 
blood," the terms — and justification, the glorious result* 
This passage is relied upon as the corner stone of the vi* 
carious system of atonement. It is the grand rallying 
point of all the defenders of this system. From this con- 
sideration we shall carefully and candidly examine it, and 
if possible arrive at the true meaning of the inspired pen- 
man. Our only object is to ieafn the truth as it is re- 
vealed in Christ* 

I. What does the Apostle mean by the phrase "being 
justified?" 



PROPITIATORY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 97 

1. Justification is a forensic term, and signifies the de- 
claring, or pronouncing a person righteous according to 
law. Hence, said Paul: "Therefore by the deeds of the 
law shall no flesh be justified in His sight : for by the 
law is the knowledge of sin." That is^ no person shall 
be declared righteous by the law, for all have transgress- 
ed it. Justification is the pardoning, or remitting the 
punishment due to sin* We are sometimes taught, that 
man suffers all the punishment due his sin, and that justi- 
fication, or pardon, only saves him from the commission 
of sin in the future. But in the text, Paul speaks of "the 
remission of sins that axspast" What does Paul mean 
by this ? He is speaking of personal sins, and "remis- 
sion" from such can only be a salvation from their con- 
sequence. Our Savior has beautifully illustrated this 
subject in the following instructive parable : "The king- 
dom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, which 
would take account of his servants ; and when he had 
begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed 
him ten thousand talents : but for as much as he had not 
to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, 
and children, and all that he had, and payment to be 
made. The servant, therefore, fell down and worshipped 
him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay 
thee all. The Lord of that servant was moved with com- 
passion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." How 
did this king forgive his servant ? Did he compel him to 
pay the debt, and forgive him by preventing him from get- 
ting in his debt again ? The plain idea is, that he gave 
up all claim against him, and let him go without paying 
the ten thousand talents which he justly owed the king. 
This elucidates and sets the doctrine of forgiveness in its 
true light* 

n 



08 PROPITIATORY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 



2. We are justified or pardoned by the free and unmer- 
ited grace extended to us through Jesus Christ : "Being 
justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that 
is in Christ Jesus."— Tit. 3 : 3, 7 ; John 3: 16. 

3. None but believers are justified and saved from the 
fearful consequences of sin. Hence, said Paul: "To 
declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness, that he 
might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in 
Jesus." Who is justified ? "He that believeth in Je- 
sus." — Rom. 5 : 1. None but believers in Christ shall 
be saved : "This is the will of him that sent me," said 
Christ, "that every one which seeth the Son, and believ- 
eth on him, may have everlasting life." "Everlasting 
life" is proffered on the condition of faith in the Son of 
God. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting 
life : and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life ; 
but the wrath of God abideth on him." 

II. For what purpose did God send his Son into the 
world ? 

"To be a propitiation through faith in his blood." 
Instead of "propitiation," Archbishop Newcome trans- 
lates "mercy seat ; " and Dr. Macknight, "propitiatory." 
The original word is the same which in the Old Testa- 
ment is rendered "mercy seat." The apostle, no doubt, 
alludes to the mercy seat in the most holy place — Exod. 
25 : 17, 22. The mercy seat was a beautiful type of 
Christ : 

1st. It was the place of God's special presence. God 
dwells in Christ : "Believest thou not that I am in the 
Father, and the Father in me," said Christ, "the words 
that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself : but the 
Father, that dwelleth in me, he doth the works." 



PROPITIATORY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 



99 



2d. It was the place of merciful manifestations. In 
Christ, God manifests his love and mercy to man, "God 
is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward 
us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the 
world, that we might live through him." — 2 Tim. 1 : 9, 10. 

3d. It was the medium of communication between 
God and his people. Christ is the medium of commu- 
nication between God and man. It is in Christ that God 
reveals himself to the world. "God, who at sundry times 
and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fath- 
ers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto 
us by his Son." — 2 Tim. 1 : 10. It was through Christ 
that the great plan of salvation was fully developed to 
the world. This office of Christ was clearly pointed out 
by Moses.— Deut. 18: 15, 19. 

4th. It was at the mercy seat that God met with an- 
cient Israel : and it is in Christ that God meets with man. 
"God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself; 
for through him we have access by one spirit unto the 
Father." Christ is our propitiatory or mercy seat. He 
is the medium through which we approach our heavenly 
Father. 

There are two other passages in which the word pro- 
pitiation occurs — 1 John 2 : 2 ; 4 : 10, Propitiation and 
atonement are words of similar import. To atone is to 
reconcile, to propitiate, to make overtures of peace. Pro- 
pitiation is a reconciling sacrifice, Christ is "set forth to 
be a propitiation for our sins ; " that is, he came to recon- 
cile man to Ged : "For Christ also hath once suffered 
for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to 
God." "Propitiatory is something adapted to reconcile, 
or intended for that purpose; something on which, from 



100 PROPlf tAT'OflY Aftfc RlGfiTfcOtJSftESS dF GOf), 



which, i;i which, % which, or through which* overtures 
of peace are made." In the text* the Apostle represents 
Christ as "set forth" as a propitiatory, or mercy seat, in, 
from, or through which God might manifest his mercy 
and love to man. 

2. "To declare the righteousness of Gad fof the re- 
mission of sins that are past* through the forbearance of 
God." "The righteousness of God" is an ambiguous 
term ; it may mean the righteousness of God's own char- 
acter, or the righteousness which God requires of his crea- 
tures. Peter uses the term "righteousness of God," to 
denote his faithfulness to his promises— 1 Peter 1: 1* 
The word also occurs in the following passages : Matt. 
6: 33; James 1 : 20 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 21 ; Rom. 1: 17 — 
10 : 3. By the "righteousness of God," in the above 
passages, I Understand the Apostle to mean, the righteous- 
ness which God requires of man. The word occurs five 
times in the third chapter of Romans. In the 22d verse, 
the Apostle explains what he means by this phrase : "Even 
the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ." 
According to this explanation of the Apostle, "righteous- 
ness of God," means the righteousness which He requires 
of man. That this is the meaning of the Apostle, is ob- 
vious from the following language, which he uses on 
another occasion : "That I may win Christ, and be found 
in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of 
the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the 
righteousness which is of God by faith." Christ was 
"set forth" as "a teacher sent from God" to publish to 
the world the righteousness which God approves and re- 
quires of man. 1st. By his example — 1 Pet. 2 : 21, 23. 
2d. By his teaching. Christ's Sermon on the Mount is a 



PROPITIATORY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 101 



lucid declaration of the righteousness which God requires 
of man under the Gospel. 

This righteousness was "declared for the remission of 
sins that are past." Christ clearly taught what man. 
must be before he can receive the forgiveness of his sins. 
— Matt. 18 : 3 ; Luke 13 : 1,5; Matt. 5:8; Mark 16 : 
15, 16. 

III. This righteousness was declared : "That God 
might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in 
Jesus." Christ came into the world to reveal the con- 
ditions upon which God can be just, and yet pardon the 
sinner, God could not be just, and yet the justifier of 
the impenitent; but he can be just, and yet justify the 
penitent. The justice of God does not stand in the w r ay 
of his pardoning the humble, penitent, believing sinner. 
He can, and has promised to forgive him. The pardon- 
ing of the penitent is in strict accordance with the justice 
of God. Hence, said Solomon : "Who so walketh up- 
rightly, shall be saved ; but he that is perverse in his 
ways, shall fall at once." This agrees with the experience 
of David, as recorded by himself: "I acknowledged my 
sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said. 
I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord ; and thou 
forgavest the iniquity of my sin." 

From the mercy seat, under the law, God delivered or 
declared his oracles, and granted his favor to Israel 
through the High Priest. The antitype of which, as we 
have seen, is Jesus Christ. He is the true mercy seat, 
from or by whom God speaks, and shows mercy to the 
world. One declaration that He makes from it is, that 
He can be just when He justifies him that believeth in 
Christ Read this declaration, as written by the pen of 



102 PROPITIATORV AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD* 



inspiration ; "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and 
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all un- 
righteousness/' This idea is very different from the one 
that the popular system of atonement gives, "that God 
sent him forth to justify himself in showing mercy to sin- 
ners." 

His righteousness was also declared "for the remission 
of sins that are past) through the forbearance of Gcd." 
According to this language, one great purpose for which 
"the righteousness of God 5 ' was declared, was the remis- 
sion of sin. This proves that the phrase, "righteousness 
of God/' means the righteousness which he requires of 
man, in order to the remission of sins ; for what inspired 
writer ever preached the personal righteousness of God 
for the remission of sin I And who, among all the preach- 
ers of the Gospel, ever preached it as a condition of for- 
giveness ? John, the Baptist, preached "the baptism of 
repentance for the remission of sins." The Apostle 
preached, that men should "repent and be baptized in the 
name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins." Peter 
declared to the house of Cornelius, that to Christ "give 
all the prophets witness, that throughhis name, whosoever 
believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins." On 
another occasion, he exhorted his audience to "repent and 
be converted, that their sins might be blotted out." Such 
was the preaching of the apostles. They never preached 
the personal righteousness of God, for the remission of 
sins; but faith, repentance, and obedience, were what 
they preached as conditions of forgiveness. 

One great purpose of the mercy seat, under the law, as 
connected with the sin offering, was the "putting away of 
sin," "cleansing," or "purifying," from sin, and thus 



PROPITIATORY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 103 



bringing men near to God. This was typical of Christ, 
One great purpose of God's setting forth his Son as the 
Gospel mercy seat, and for which he died, was the put* 
ting away of sin, and the reconciliation of man to him- 
self. Christ "hath appeared once in the end of the world, 
to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." "When he 
had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right 
hand of the Majesty on high." Here, what Christ came 
to effect, is spoken of as accomplished ; because his 
teaching, suffering, and death, were intended to "purge our 
sins," and will have that effect on all who receive and 
obey him, 

The great end of all the declarations that are made 
from the Gospel mercy seat, is the salvation of man from 
sin — from the love, power, and practice of sin, This is 
the great end of all the manifestations that God has made 
of himself to the world, and it was for this that Christ 
came into the world, to "save his people from their sins." 
But how does he accomplish this great work ? What are 
the instruments that he uses to effect the great end for 
which he left the bosom of his Father, and came into the 
world ? Sin is a moral disease, and can only be removed 
by moral means. The means must be adapted to the end. 
The word of God is the great instrument used to accom- 
plish this work : "The law of the Lord is perfect, convert- 
ing the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making 
wise the simple : the statutes of the Lord are right, re- 
joicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, 
enlightening the eyes." This agrees with the language of 
Peter: "Seeing ye have purified your souls, in obeying 
the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of 
the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure 



10-1 PROPITIATORY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. 

heart fervently : being born again, ne*t of corruptible 
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which 
liveth and abideth forever." It is obvious, from the above 
language, that the Gospel is the great means used by 
Christ to turn man "from darkness to light, and from the 
power of Satan unto God ; that thoy may receive for* 
giveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which 
are sanctified by faith in Christ. " Hence, said Paul : 
"I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ : for it is the 
power of God u&to salvation, to every one that believ- 
eth." 

God speaks to us from the Gospel mercy seat, not as a 
vindictive sovereign, but in the melting voice of a kind, 
affectionate, and forgiving Father. His is the voice of 
love and paternal kindness. In the outward universe, 
God manifests himself to us in love. The fresh and 
blooming spring, the warm and glowing summer, the 
mild and lovely autumn, the cold and stormy winter — the 
genial rays of the- sun, the refreshing shower, the music 
of the breeze — speak to us of the exuberant goodness of 
God ; but in Christ he is revealed as our Father. Mov- 
ed with the tenderest feelings of a parent, He manifests 
the most earnest solicitude for our salvation, and yearns 
over us as a tender parent over an erring child. With a 
Father's kindness he points out the awful and tremen- 
dous evils of sin, and opens the w r ay for our escape. He 
has declared from the mercy seat, the terms of salvation 
— the righteousness that is essential to forgiveness and 
redemption — and calls us, in the melting strains of bleed- 
ing mercy, to come to Christ and be saved* 



PROPITIATORY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GQ,D. 1Q5 



Sinner, the voice of God regard 3 

His mercy speaks to-day ; 
He calls you by his sovereign word* 

From sin's destructive w-ay. 

His love exceeds your highest thoughts ! 

He pardons like a God ! 
He will forgive your numerous faults, 

Through our Redeemer's blood. 

Return, O wanderer ! now return — 

And wipe the falling tear ; 
Thy Father calls — no longer mourn I 

? Tis love invites thee near. 

Christians ! God speaks to you from, the mercy seat as 
a loving Father: "Like as a father pitieth his children, 
so the Lord pitieth them that fear him : for he knoweth 
our frame— he remembereth that we are dust." "Let us, 
therefore, come boldly unto the throne of Grace, that we 
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of 
need." Oh ! my Christian friends, live near to the throng 
of grace ! Daily commune with your Heavenly Father 
at the mercy seat. He will assist you in your struggles 
for the mastery of evil, and the attainment of virtue, and 
will bring you off "more than conquerors, through him 
that loved us," and hath "given himself for us." 



DISCOURSE IX. 



FORGIVENESS. 

jer. xxxvi : 3. 

It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which 
I purpose to do unto them ; that they may return every man from 
his evil way ; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. 

"All have sinned^ and come short of the glory of God." 
All men are sinners. Reason, nature, the history of the 
world, revelation, and the consciences of all men, attest 
this fact. All feel that they are sinners* "The Lord 
looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to 
see if there were any that did understand, and seek God." 
The Psalmist has recorded the result of the heavenly in- 
spection. "They are all gone aside, they are altogeth- 
er become filthy ; there is none that doeth good, no, not 
one." Sin has plunged man into misery, and exposed 
him to "eternal damnation." The most solemn and im- 
portant question then is, how is he to be forgiven ? The 
inercy of God is his only reliance. How is this mercy to 
be obtained ? This question has been anxiously asked, 
in all ages. Reason and nature, superstition and philos- 
ophy, have been tasked in vain, for an answer to this thril- 
ling question. The Scriptures alone can answer it. They 



FORGIVENESS. 



107 



have answered it ; and our present enquiry is, what is 
the answer? What are the conditions of pardon ? The 
answer is found in the language of the text: %t& may be 
that the house of Judahwill hear all the evil which I pur- 
pose to do unto them ; that they may return every man 
from his evil way ; that I may forgive their iniquity and 
their sin." 

There is a great and fearful obstacle in the way of 
God's forgiving the sinner. There is something that sep- 
arates between the sinner, and the forgiveness of God — 
and the great question is, what is it ? There is nothing 
on the part of God. to prevent his extending mercy and. 
forgiveness to rebel sinners. "Behold," said the proph- 
et, "the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save ; 
neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear." The obsta- 
cle in the way of forgiveness, is all on the part of the 
transgressor. It is his sins that rise up as a brazen wall 
between him and the mercy and forgiveness of God. 
"Your iniquities," said the prophet, "have separated be- 
tween you and your God, and your sins have hid his face 
from you, that he will not hear." From this we learn, 
that it is sin that prevents God from extending mercy and 
forgiveness to the sinner. Hence, the language of the 
text : "It may be that the house of Judah will hear all 
the evil which I purpose to do unto them, that they may 
return every man from his evil way ; that I may forgive 
their iniquity, and their sin." The expression, "that I 
may forgive," implies that there was something that pre- 
vented God from extending mercy and forgiveness to "the 
house of Judah," — and, what was it ? The Lord answers 
their "evil way." 



108 



FORGIVENESS. 



The question now is, how is this obstacle to be remo- 
ved ? We fnd an answer to this question in the follow- 
ing language of the prophet : "Let the wicked forsake 
his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let 
him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon 
him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. " 

According to this language, the obstacle to foigiveness 
is removed, by the reformation of the sinner. From the text 
we learn, that the design of God's message to "the house 
of Judah," was to influence them to "return every man 
from his evil way." And why ? "That I may forgive 
their iniquity, and their sin." Not a word is said about 
inflicting the punishment due their sins, upon a substitute 
"that God may forgive them." The sole object is their 
reformation — that God "may forgive them." This leads 
to the position, that God pardons the sinner on the con- 
dition of his repentance and reformation, God, of his 
own infinite goodness, extends mercy and forgiveness to 
ihe humble penitent, He is essentially merciful and pla- 
cable. This sublime truth is beautifully expressed by an 
inspired writer — "God is Love." How can it he said 
thai "God is love," if he does not, and will not, extend 
mercy and pardon to the believing, humble penitent, with- 
out punishing the innocent "in his room and stead ?" Is 
this le-ve and mercy ? To illustrate the idea, suppose tha t 
a son transgresses the commands of his father, but aftei- 
wards repents, reforms, and comes to his father, humbly 
begging his mercy and forgiveness. The father refuses to 
forgive him until he inflicts the punishment due his trans- 
gression, on one of his innocent children. Can it be said 
of that father, that he, "is love ?" No ! Just such a father 
i$ God, if he refuses to pardon his humble, penitent child, 



FORGIVENESS. 



109 



until his only u begotten and beloved Son" suffers the pen- 
alty due his sins. The idea is revolting to the benevolent 
mind. 

That God is essentially merciful and placable of him- 
self, independent of any foreign cause* is obvious, from 
the following beautiful passage of Scripture ; "Who is a 
God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, arid passeth 
by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage ? He 
retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in 
mercy; Thou art a God ready to pardon gracious and 
merciful^ slow to anger*, and of great kindness/ 5 No lan* 
guage'can be more plain, pointed, and unequivocal than 
this* Here God is represented as being "merciful and 
gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy," from his 
own essential goodness. "Let Israel hope in the Lord ; 
for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plente- 
ous redemption." 

We are to forgive one another on the same principle 
that God forgives us. Our Savior taught his disciples to 
pray : "Our Father, forgive us our debts, as we forgive our 
debtors." Now, if God forgives us only on the grounds 
of a vicarious atonement, we are bound to forgive those 
who trespass against us, on the same principle. Then, be- 
fore we can forgive a brother that trespasses against us, we 
must inflict the punishment due his sin, on another. Who 
ever imagined that this was the true meaning of our Sa- 
vior's language ? What are the conditions upon which 
we are to forgive those who trespass against us ? Christ 
answers : "If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke 
him ; and if he repent, forgive him." It is on condition 
of his repentance, that we are to forgive him. Now, if 
this is the condition upon which we are to forgive our 



110 



FORGIVENESS. 



brother, that trespasses against us, and God forgives us on 
the same condition, it follows, with all the force of dem- 
onstration, that God forgives the sinner on condition of 
his repentance and reformation. This sentiment is beau- 
tifully expressed in the following language of the Lord 
himself: "If my people, which are called by my name> 
shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and 
turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heav- 
en, and will forgive their sin. " The conditions which God 
forgives the sinner, is here plainly marked out. It is that 
they "humble themselves, and pray, and seek the face of 
the Lord, and turn from their wicked ways." Hence, said 
Solomon, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper ; 
but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mer- 
cy." It is in view of their confessing and forsaking their 
sins, that God says, they "shall have mercy." 

Our Savior has beautifully illustrated the doctrine of 
forgiveness, in the pathetic parable of the prodigal son. 
This parable clearly illustrates two great and thrilling 
truths. 1st. That God is "merciful and gracious, slow to 
anger, and plenteous in mercy ;" ever ready to forgive the 
humble penitent. When the penitent prodigal was "yet 
a great way off," the father ran, and fell upon his neck, 
and kissed him. This is a striking illustration of the lov- 
ing and forgiving character of our heavenly Father. — 
2d; That God forgives the sinner, on the condition of his 
repentance and reformation. The father of the prodigal 
was ready to forgive all his sins, and receive him to his 
embrace, just as soon as he would repent and return to 
him. It is on the same condition that God forgives his 
rebel children, and receives them to the embraces of his 
love. " Jf we confess our sins > he is faithful and just 



FORGIVENESS. Ill 

to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all un- 
righteousness." It has long been thought that God could 
not be faithful to himself, and just to his government, if he 
pardoned the sinner on the condition of his repentance 
and reformation ; but John settles this great question, in 
the above language, and declares that he is both " faith- 
ful and just," in thus forgiving the sinner — "faithful" 
to his promises, for he has promised to forgive, on these 
conditions. — Isa. 55 : 6, 7. He is "just" to himself, to 
his government, and to the universe ; for, it is in strict 
accordance with the plainest dictates of reason, to extend 
mercy and forgiveness to the humble penitent. This is 
the sentiment of the Bible. The prophet expresses it as 
clearly as any sentiment can be expressed. He first 
points out the fearful consequences of sin — "the soul that 
sinneth it shall die." He ihen points out the condition 
of pardon : "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins 
that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do 
that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall 
not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, 
they shall not be mentioned unto him ; in his righteous- 
ness which he hath done, he shall live. Have I any pleas- 
ure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God 1 
and not that he should return from his ways and live?" 
From this unequivocal language, we learn, that all that 
God requires, as a condition of pardon and salvation, is 
the repentance and reformation of the sinner — "for I 
have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth. saith the 
Lord God ; wherefore turn yourselves, and live." On a 
certain occasion, Peter said to the Jews, "Repent ye, 
therefore, and be converted." Why ? "That your sins 
may be blotted out." 



312 



FORGIVENESS. 



I read this ,g**eat and sublime truth in the expressions ; 
"He came to save his people from their sins; God sent 
him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from 
his iniquities." Why was it necesssary to "turn man 
from his iniquities; to save him from sin?" The Lord 
•answers, "that I may forgive their iniquity and their sins." 

There are many instances of forgiveness recorded in 
the scriptures, and they all confirm the great truth which I 
am laboring to establish. The denizens of Nineveh were 
pardoned on the conditions of their repentance and refer- 
mation. 

It is objected, that if God pardons the sinner on the 
conditions of his repentance, and reformation alone ; it 
declares that his law is not just. The law says that the 
sinner must die. From this it is inferred, that "in pardon- 
ing the sinner, God would declare that the law is not 
just ; " from the fact that he saves the sinner from death. 
This reasoning goes equally against all methods of par- 
don. If it proves any thing, it proves that God cannot 
pardon on any condition, without violating his law. The 
sinner may believe in atoning blood, and be pardoned 
through its efficacy, still there is the law, that says the 
sinner shall die. The law never said that a substitute 
might die in his stead, — it said the sinner should die. 
"The soul that siftneth it Shall die." The law makes no 
provisions for a substitute dying "in room and stead" of 
the sinner. The threatenings and promises of God are 
conditional. The Lord teaches us that he will punish the 
sinner only for his own sins, and his continuance in sin ; 
but that, if he will repent and turn from his sins, "he 
shall surely live, he shall not die." So far from viola- 
ting his law, in pardoning the sinner, He only executes 



FORGIVENESS. 



it. If He did not pardon him, He would violate His 
law* and "declare that the law was not just." By 
pardoning the penitent sinner, God sustains his law, His 
iakhfulness and justice. "If we confess our sins , Ht is 
fakhfid and just to forgive us our sins" 

Again, it is objected, that the promises of mercy and 
forgiveness to the penitent, are made on the grounds of 
the atonement, and that the penitents anterior to the death 
of Christ were forgiven in view of that event. In an- 
swer to this, I would remark, that this is a mere assump- 
tion. No where in the Bible, is this fact stated. The 
passage commonly brought to prove this position, is Rom. 
3 ; 25 ; 26. The phrase, "for the remission of sins that 
are past," w r hich is found in this passage, is supposed to 
refer to the above position. The Apostle is here evidently 
speaking of personal sins. All sins are past, and it is on- 
ly such that can be forgiven. Sins that have not been 
committed, cannot be pardoned ; for they have no exis- 
tence until committed. 

It is also objected, that if it is just, it is not safe'to par- 
don the sinner, on the condition of his repentance and 
reformation. It is asserted that it would subvert the di- 
vine government, and fill the earth with anarchy and vio- 
lence. Beecher says, that such a principle "would break 
the power of every human government on earth." Let 
us examine the theory of a vicarious atonement, and see 
if it is any better than the above. Let the human gov- 
ernments apply the principle of a vicarious atonement in 
their administrations, and punish the innocent "in the 
room and stead" of the guilty, — what would be the re- 
sult ? Would it strengthen their foundations, and pro- 
mote peace among men 1 No ! "It would break the pow- 
8 



114 



FORGIVENESS. 



er of every human government on earth/' and fill the 
world with violence and anarchy. The objection bears 
with as great force against the doctrine of a vicarious 
atonement, as it does against the principle of forgiving 
men on the conditions of their repentance and reforma- 
tion. There is a vast difference between divine and hu- 
man governments. "The ruler is different, the object is 
different, the sanctions and the consequences are all dif- 
ferent. Man looks upon the outward conduct, God look- 
eth upon the heart, and the purposes of his administra- 
tion are to affect the heart, To uphold the community, to 
protect property and life, is the aim of one; to purify the 
soul, and save from the power and condemnation of sin, 
is the object of the other. It would not be safe for igno- 
rant and fallible men, to pardon offenders on the profes- 
sion of repentance— but it is safe for the omniscient God> 
who sees the sincerity of the profession, the reality of the 
reformation. His government cannot be endangered by 
encouraging transgressors to turn from their transgressions. 
This earth would not be "turned into a hell," by becoming 
the abode of the penitent pardoned, the reformed, submis- 
sive, obedient, virtuous children of their heavenly Father. 
Would it "break the power of every human government 
on earth" to lead all men to repentance and reformation ? 
to influence all men to break off from lying, swearing, 
drinking, stealing, murder, war, revenge, licentiousness, 
extortion, and^ all the vices of the earth ? No ! It would 
strengthen human governments, and promote peace and 
happiness among men. It would convert the world into 
a paradise. 

Another objection is that repentance "does not cancel 
the past." It does not in this life. Sin may be forsake-n. 



FORGIVENESS. 



115 



but its consequences go on, and are felt in injured health, 
and a torturing conscience. True — and a most solemn 
truth. But, it belongs not more to our system, than to the 
opposite. The consequences of sin must be felt under 
any system. Let the obdurate offender obtain the assu- 
rance of pardon through faith in a vicarious atonement- 
will that "cancel the past ? " Will it restore health to a 
diseased body ? Will it repair the injuries that the sin- 
ner has done to society ? Will it stay the evil influences 
that he has set in operation ? Will it restore the years 
that he has spent in sin ? Will it blot the past out of 
his memory ? The past cannot be effaced, it cannot be 
forgotten. It must, and necessarily will, have its effect. 

Again, it is objected, that the doctrine of pardon on the 
condition of repentance, begets a feeling of self-right- 
eousness and merit. The idea that we can merit salva- 
tion, is opposed to both reason and revelation. "We are 
saved by grace." Repentance and reformation are only 
the conditions upon which God, of his own goodness, ex- 
tends mercy and forgiveness to the penitent sinner. The 
advocates of the popular theory make faith a condition of 
salvation ; and, with equal propriety, it may be urged 
against their theory, that it will beget a feeling of self- 
righteousness and merit. The sinner, who believes in a 
vicarious atonement, and relies for salvation on it, de- 
pends as much on his own act, as the one who receives 
forgiveness, on the terms of repentance and reformation, 
through divine mercy. 

It is also objected, that God forgives the sinner, "for 
Christ's sake." — Eph. 4 : 32. It is contended from this, 
that God forgives the sinner, in view of the satisfaction 
that Christ has made to the law. The original of the 



116 



FORGIVENESS* 



above passage is, in or through Christ. Christ is the 
medium through which the blessings of salvation are be- 
stowed upon man. "Not fey works of righteousness 
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved 
us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the 
Holy Ghost, — which he shed on us abundantly, through 
Jesus Christ our Savior ;" "that beinz justified by his grace 
we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal 
Itfe " From this we learn, 1st. That Jesus Christ is the me- 
dium through which the blessings of heaven flow to man^ 
2d. That we are "saved by his mercy," and "justified by 
his grace;" These blessings are bestowed upon us by 
God, of his own goodness and mercy. "But God, who is 
rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us y 
even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us togeth- 
er with Christy (by grace ye are saved,) that in ages to 
come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in 
his kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus " It "was 
for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when ice 
were dead in sins, that he qvickened us," and not in 
view of the satisfaction which Christ made to the law — 
yet this was bestowed on us "through Christ." If God 
forgives us on the principle of a vicarious atonement, 
then we are to forgive one another on the same principle, 
"even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Now, 
if this language means that God forgives the sinner be- 
cause Christ has suffered the penalty due his sins, then 
before we can forgive a brother that has trespassed against 
us, we must inflict the punishment due his sine, on an 
innocent brother, and forgive him, in view of what this 
brother has suffered. Apply this principle to the govern- 
ment of the Church, and what would be the result ? Un- 
mixed evil. 



FORGIVENESS. 



in 



I have now presented the true grounds upon which the 
sinner may receive the forgiveness of his sins, and become 
an "heir of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ." ! 
sinner, will you lay hold on the promises of the Gospel, 
and secure the rich boon so freely offered to you? All 
heaven is interested in your salvation. God is moved 
with the tenderest feelings of a kind and affectionate Fath- 
er—Christ yearns over you with the warmest feelings of 
his benevolent heart — the holy angels are animated with 
deep and ardent sympathy for you — the Gospel opens to 
you its rich store "of exceeding great and precious prom- 
ses," — calling upon you, in the melting strains of bleeding 
mercy, to "repent that your sins may be blotted out," and 
your "names written in the Lamb's book of life." Oh! 
will you repent, reform, shun the miseries of the wicked, 
and secure the blessings of holiness and virtue ? Will 
you listen to the claims of justice, the melting calls t of 
mercy, and the invitations of heaven ? "Thinkest thou 
this, man, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 
Or, despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and for- 
bearance, and long suffering; not knowing that the good- 
ness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But, after thy 
hard and impeniten t heart, treasurest up unto thyself 
wrath against the day of wrath, 4 and revelation of the 
righteous judgment of God ; who will render to every man 
according to his deeds; to them who by patient continu- 
ance in well doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immor- 
tality, eternal life ; but, unto them that are contentious, 
and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness ; in* 
dignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every 
soul of man that doeth evil." 



DISCOURSE X. 



REGENERATION* 
titus in : 5< 

He saved lis, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing 
of the Holy Ghost. 

Christianity is a remedial system. It proposes to effect 
a permanent change in the moral character of man. The 
great object of its mission, is the regeneration of man's 
moral and spiritual nature. It is a great system, introdu- 
ced into the world by God, to redeem man from the thral- 
dom of sin, to destroy the selfishness and wickedness of 
his heart, to make him a new creature, to inspire him with 
new and holier principles, to awaken within him new de- 
sires, to place his thoughts and affections upon nobler 
and more elevated objects than the things of earth, to es- 
tablish the kingdom of goodness, love, benevolence, and 
truth, in the soul ; to elevate him from the groveling pur- 
suits and ends of sinfulness, to a new and noble field of 
action, and to the,sublime station in the scale of being, for 
which he was created. Such is the glorious mission of 
Christianity. 

I. What is regeneration ? 

Regeneration is an internal spiritual change, effected in 



REGENERATION. 



110 



the moral or spiritual nature of man, by the agencies which 
God has ordained for its accomplishment. It is a radical 
change of man's moral nature — a complete change of the 
affections, sympathies, desires, thoughts, and purposes of 
the soul. They are taken from the" groveling objects 
and ends of earth, and placed upon "things above" — up- 
on pure, holy, sublime, and elevating objects, — and the 
great purpose of the life is changed. 

Regeneration changes the desires of the heart. The re- 
generate no longer desires the possession of sinful objects, 
nor to indulge in things that are wrong. The desire of 
his heart is the attainment of virtue, moral excellency, and 
all those graces that adorn the Christian character. The 
revengeful character desires to execute his vengeance on 
the object of his hatred ; but the regenerated man desires 
to do good unto all, and to manifest nothing but love to 
his bitterest enemies. The man of pleasure desires to in- 
dulge in his sinful amusements ; but the Christian has no 
desire for sinful indulgences. The desire of his heart is 
to be transformed into the image of Christ. Thus you 
see, that regeneration changes the desires of the soul. 

Regeneration purifies the affections. It shakes the 
soul loose from its attachment to the things of time, and 
places the affections upon "things above." They are ta- 
ken from sinful objects, and placed upon God, and all 
that is holy, sublime, and good. 

Regeneration changes, renovates, and elevates the 
(thoughts. It takes them away from the contemplation of 
groveling and demoralizing objects, and places them up- 
on pure and elevating objects, The thoughts of the licen- 
tious character are employed upon sordid and licentious 
objects,; but, in the regeneration of his heart, they are ta- 



120 



REGENERATION. 



ken from these unholy objects, and placed upon God, upon 
Christ, upon heaven, and upon things of an elevating na- 
ture. 

Regeneration changes the sympathies of the soul. The 
sympathies of the unregenerate are not with the holy, the 
virtuous, and the good ; but, with the unholy, and the vi- 
cious. In regeneration, the sympathies of the heart are pu- 
rified, enlarged, and deepened, — a»d unites with Christ all 
the virtuous and the good. The ivniege-nerate can laugh 
at the sufferings of the innocent, and trample the- defence- 
less in the dust ; but the regenerated so®l deeply sympathi- 
zes with the suffering, weeps with the>sethat weep, mourns 
with those that mourn, rejoices with those that rejoice, 
and labors for the good of all. The sympathies of the 
unregenerate are narrowed down to their associates; but 
the sympathies of the regenerated soul embrace all men. 

Regeneration changes the ruling love of the soul. In 
every character there is a ruling love, a predominant aim, 
one master principle, that rules the life,, and moulds the 
character. This Euling love- is different in different char- 
acters ; but, in the sinner, this predominant, ruling princi- 
ple is wrong. The ruling principle in the character of the 
miser, is the love of gold — in the man of pleasure, the 
l&va of amusements — in the drunkard, the love of intoxi- 
cating drinks — in the warrior, the love of fame — in the 
selfish, the love of self — in the gambler, tho love of ga- 
ming — in the licentious, thelove of sordid indulgences. 

Now, in regeneration, this ruling love, o»r predominant 
principle of the heart, is changed. The man of pleasure 
is no longer governed by the love of sinful amusements. 
The love of intoxicating drinks is slain in the heart of the 
inebriate. He forsakes his cups* because he no longer 



REGENERATION. 



121 



loves them. The warrior forsakes the tented fields, and 
bloody scenes of war — the gambler ceases his gaming, and 
the licentious his sordid indulgences, because the love of 
these things is destroyed ; they are governed by a new 
principle, — love to God and man. 

This great work is called a new birth, a new creation, 
a resurrection, and regeneration, — because it is a resurrec- 
tion to, and the commencement of, a new life, a new love, 
new desires, and a new purpose, or object of action. The 
regenerated character is a new man in desire, affection, 
love, sympathy, thought, word, and action. The powers 
of the man are changed from their perverted action, and 
directed into their proper channel. 

Being born of the flesh, we bear the image of the 
earthy ; but, by being born of the Spirit, we receive the 
image of the heavenly. By virtue of our natural birth, 
we dwell on earth, and receive the powers that qualify us 
for the enjoyment of the society and blessings of earth ; 
but, by being born of the Spirit, we are inducted into the 
kingdom of God, and receive the moral and spiritual qual- 
ities that are necessary to prepare us for the society and 
blessings of heaven. By our natural birth, we are heirs 
of a temporal life; but, by our spiritual birth, we are 
made heirs of eternal life, 

II. The effects of regeneration upon the character of 
man, 

Christianity cleanses the fountain of action ; and, of 
necessity, the stream is pure, for it must partake of the na- 
ture of the fountain. The tree is made good ; and, as a 
necessary sequence, the fruit is good also. 

Christianity commences the great work of regeneration* 
upon philosophical principles. It commences its work 



122 



REGENERATION. 



at the fountain of action. It reforms the life, by reforming 
the soul. It regulates the conduct, by regulating the prin- 
ciple of action. Il governs the conversation, by govern* 
ing the thoughts. 

Regeneration produces a new life. The regenerated 
!man is a new creature, in thought, word, and action, He 
lives a new life — a life of prayer, obedience, and love. 
He has "put off* the old man with his deeds, and put on 
the new man, which, after God, is created in righteous- 
ness and true holiness." Hence, said Paul to his Roman 
brethren, "Ye were the servants of sin ; but ye have obey- 
ed from the heart that form of doctrine which was deliv- 
ered unto you. Being then made free from sin, ye be- 
came the Servants of righteousness." They walk no more 
"after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the 
Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made them free from 
the law of sin and death." "Therefore, if any man be in 
Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; 
behold all things are become new." He is governed by 
new principles, and leads a new life. "Whosoever is 
born of God, doth not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth 
in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God k 
Whosoever is born of God, sinneth not ; but he th at is be^ 
gotten of God, keep^eth himself, and that wicked one 
touch eth him not." 

The heart of the unregenerate may be compared to a 
garden overgrown with briers, thorns, thistles, and all 
kinds of noxious productions. The husbandman goes to 
work, and eradicates them, and sows in their stead flow T - 
ers, and useful and beautiful plants. The heart of the un. 
regenerate is overrun with a growth of living lusts. There 
are the pestiferous plants of sin, and the grapes of Sodom- 



Regeneration. 



123 



"The works of the flesh are manifest; which are these : 
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness> lasciviousness, idola- 
try, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, 
seditions, heresies* envyings, murders, drunkenness, revi- 
lings, and suchlike.** In regeneration, the fallow ground 
is broken up, the roots of bitterness are eradicated, the 
luxuriant growth of lusts is destroyed, new seeds are sown 
in the garden, and a new class of fruits is produced. "The 
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gen- 
tleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." 

III. Is regeneration an instantaneous or gradual 
work ? 

The work is instantaneous, in reference to the time of 
its commencement ; but gradual in its completion. There 
is a moment when it commences, but it takes time and 
arduous labor to accomplish the work. Reason and revela* 
tion teach Us that this is a gradual process. 

When we look abroad over the physical universe, we 
find that every thing is produced by a gradual growth. In 
the vegetable kingdom, there is, first, the seed ; then the 
shoot, then the tree. The tree is not the work of a mo- 
ment ; but the result of a gradual process. We find 
the same principle in the moral world. Men do not form 
sinful habits in a moment. They are the work of time, 
the result of a continued course of action. Habits once 
formed, do not lose their influence in a moment. A man 
cannot lay off his habits like he can his garments. It 
takes time and labor to correct, subdue, and destroy them. 
Neither do men acquire virtuous habits in a moment. They 
can only be formed by much prayer and labor. There is 
"first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in 
the ear." 



124 



REGENERATION. 



In the work of regeneration, there is a great difference 
in different persons. In some, the work is more rapid 
than in others. Some seem to emerge in a moment from 
the midnight darkness and gloom of sin, into the broad 
sunlight of divine truth, and the spiritual liberty of the 
Gospel ; but, experience and observation have taught us, 
that by far the most numerous, and evidently the most 
hopeful cases, are those that are gradual in their growth. 

Frequently the process of regeneration has been going 
on for months, and even years, before it is visible to man* 
There may have been a long series of unseen struggles, 
suppressed groanings, secret penitential regrets, much 
prayer, heartfelt aspirations for holiness; and the religious 
character, which seems to the eye of man to shoot up with 
apparent suddenness, but to the eye of Omniscience may ba 
the work of months, or even years. 

Our Savior has beautifully illustrated this subject in the 
following parable : "The kingdom of heaven is like unto 
leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures 
of meal, till the whole w r as leavened." Here the effect of 
divine truth on the heart, is compared to the operations of 
leaven. The process of leavening meal is gradual, The 
leaven gradually infuses its spirit and power through the 
meal, until the whole is leavened. Thus, in the process 
of regeneration, the spirit of divine truth gradually exerts 
its power upon the soul, — leading to reformation, —first 
in one point, then in another— and thus the work pro- 
gresses, until the whole character is changed, and the man 
is made a new creature in Christ Jesus. 

Regeneration must be gradual in its process, from the 
very nature of the work ; for, as a man progresses in this 
work, new truths unfold themselves to his mind, and, in 



REGENERATION 



U5 



the end, he comes to regard that as sinful* which, in thg 
beginning, he considered innocent. 

IV. Is regeneration an indelible work, or can the re- 
generate fall into siiiy and finally perish ? 

Regeneration is a hopeful state. It is a state of prom- 
ise* The regenerate are surrounded by influences calciu 
lated to lead them on in the path of holiness and virtues 
They are new creatures ; have commenced a new life j 
new scenes open before them, new and brilliant prospects 
invite them onward ; they are surrounded by new and ho- 
ly society, are the subjects of new influences from above ; 
have commenced a life of prayer, and tasted of the sweets 
of redeeming love; all of which give hope and promise 
of perseverance and ultimate triumph. 

But, notwithstanding all these favorable influences arid 
eircumstarices, there is a possibility, and even great dan- 
ger b of a relapse into sin. The regenerated man may 
fall into sin, and lose his soul. Paul could have no 
doubt of his own regeneration ; yet be speaks of the ne- 
cessity of diligence, "lest by any means, when I have 
preached to others-, I myself should be a cast-away." This 
proves that there is not only a possibility, but great dan- 
ger of relapse into sin 5 and the final ruin of the souL 
"For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the 
knowledge of the truths there remaineth no more sacri- 
fice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judge- 
ment, and fiery indignation) which shall devour the adver- 
saries." 

The New Testament abounds with the most thrilling 
exhortations to watchfulness and faithfulness, which imply 
that there is great danger. "For if after they have escaped 
the pollutions of the world } through the knowledge Of the 



120 



REGENERATION. 



Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled 
therein, and overcome ; the latter^end is worse with them 
than the beginning. For it had been better for them not 
to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they 
have known it, to turn from the holy commandment le- 
livered unto them." If there is no danger of relapsing 
into sin, and finally perishing, this language of the Apostle 
is unmeaning. 

There is nothing in the nature of the religious charac- 
ter, to render it indestructible. It can only be maintain- 
ed by prayerful and laborious effort ; it may be lost by 
neglect. It is strengthened by exercising unto godliness, 
and it is weakened by neglect of religious duty. Hence, 
the exhortation: "Give all diligence, to add to your faith 
virtue ; and to virtue knowledge ; and to knowledge tem- 
perance ; and to temperance patience ; and to pati- 
ence godliness ; and to godliness brotherly kindness ; and 
to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in 
you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be 
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Je- 
sus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, 
and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was 
purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, 
give diligence to make your calling and election sure ; 
for if ye do these things ye shall never fall." Even af- 
ter regeneration, our final salvation in heaven, depends 
upon faithfulness in w r ell doing. 

V. By what agency is the work of regeneration effected ? 
By human or divine? I answer by both. It is a work 
in which the agency of both God and man is employed. 
The true doctrine is implied in the language of Paul : 
"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling ; 



REGENERATION. 



ItT 



for it is God that worketh in you, both fco will and to do 
of his own good pleasure." We receive our natural life, 
and all its blessings, from the hands of God. In him we 
live, move, and have our being ; but our own agency is 
necessary to preserve and perpetuate our life. Just so 
with the case now in hand. God is the author of spirit- 
ual life, and all its concomitant blessings ; but our own 
agency is necessary to secure those blessings. God moveth 
the sinner "to will and do of his own good pleasure" by 
means ; but these means are not irresistible. They may be 
resisted by the sinner, who must bow to the will of God, and 
faithfully use the means that he has ordained, for the ac- 
complishment of this great work. "He must work out 
his own salvation with fear and trembling." 
VI. What are the evidences of regeneration ? 

1. If we are born of the Spirit, we will be spiritually 
minded. For they that are after the flesh do mind the 
things of the flesh ; but they that are after the Spirit, the 
things of the Spirit ; for to be carnally minded is death ; 
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." 

2. We will delight in prayer. We will love to retire 
from the noise and confusion of the world, to hold com- 
munion with the Father of our spirits, amid the silence of 
the grove or closet. We will love to visit often the Throne 
of Grace, and lift up our hearts in solemn prayer to God. 

3. Christian duty will be a delight and a pleasure to 
us. It will be our meat and drink to do our Master's 
will. The subject of Christianity, and of christian duty, 
w T ill always be welcome to us. We will love to visit the 
prayer meeting, to converse about our Savior, and to 
engage in all religious exercises. 

4. The regenerate, love the Biblo. They see" a new beau- 



128 



REGENERATION. 



ty in the sacred volume. It seems to speak to them in a 
different voice from what it did before. Its teachings and 
promises come home to their hearts. They delight in the 
law of the Lord; and in his law do they meditate day 
and night. Like Job they "esteem the words of his 
mouth more than their necessary food/' They feel with 
David, that tire word of the Lord is "more to be desired, 
than gold, yea> than much fine gold ; sweeter also than 
honey and the honey-comb." They can exclaim with the 
Psalmist J "O how I love thy law! it is my meditation 
all the day*** 

5. We will love the brethren. "This is my command* 
ment, 1 " s&id Christ, "that ye love one another, as I have 
loved you." "By this shall all men know that ye are my 
•disciples, if ye have love one for another." "Beloved," 
is&id John, "let us love one another, for love is of God ; and 
every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God. 
God is love ; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in 
God, and God in him." "We know," said John, "that we 
have passed from death unto life, because we love the 
brethren." It is obvious, from the above language, that 
brotherly love is a distinguishing and conclusive evidence 
of regeneration ; but where hatred and bitterness exist in 
the heart, it is an evidence that the heart is unregenerated. 
"He that loveth not his brother, abideth in death." "He 
that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in 
darkness, even until now. If a man say, I love God, and 
hateth his brother, he is a liar ; for he that loveth not his 
brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom 
he hath not seen." 

6. We will love our enemies. We will manifest noth- 
ing but kindness, and lbve towards them. The^ divine 



REGENERATION. 



129 



commandment is, "Love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, do good unto them that hate you, and pray for 
them which despitefully use you, and persecute you ; that 
ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven ; 
for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, 
and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye 
love them which love you, what thank have ye ? for sin- 
ners also love those that love them." Religion inspires 
the soul with a spirit of the most diffusive benevolence, 
and leads the regenerate to pray and labor for the good of 
all men, whether friends or foes. Hence, the exhortation 
of Paul; "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, 
give him drink ; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of 
fire on his head." 

7. We will obey Christ, "We know," said John, "that 
we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that 
saith, I know kirn, and keepeth not his commandments, is 
a liar, and the truth is not in him." "If ye love me," said 
Christ, "keep my commandments ; ye are my friends, if ye 
do whatsoever I command you." "In this the children of 
God are manifest, and the children of the devil ; whosoever 
doeth not righteousness, is not of God," 

8. "The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, 
that we are the children of God," The spirit has clearly 
revealed the evidences and fruits of regeneration, and if 
we possess these characteristics, we know that we have 
been regenerated, and are the children of God. 

What are the evidences that we should seek in others 
as a condition of Christian fellowship ? None but the all- 
seeing eye of God can infallibly determine who are the 
regenerate, and who are the unsanctified. Here the wheat 

and tares are blended together, and must remain so until 
9 



130 



REGENERATION. 



the judgment of the great day. Therefore, we should be 
very careful what we set up as a test of Christian fellow- 
ship. 

We should not set up our creed as a test of Christian 
fellowship, and shut out from our communion, all who 
do not believe it. We are as liable to be mistaken as 
our brother. Making opinion the test of Christian fel- 
lowship, is what has divided the church, and paralyzed 
her energies. It has rent the seamless garment of Christ, 
and strengthened the hands of the enemy. It has done 
more injury to the cause of Christ, than all the infidels in 
the world. 

If a man believes in, reverences, honors, and obeys Christ, 
and conforms his life to the spirit and precepts of Christiani- 
ty, he is a Christian — a child of God — an heir of heaven, 
and a joint-heir with Christ. It is only by man's actions, 
that we can tell what he is. "Ye shall know them by 
their fruits. " If a man shows by his life that he is a 
Christian, we should receive and fellowship him as such. 

In judging the state of our own hearts, we should 
rigidly apply the most stringent rules of the Gospel ; but 
we should bring to the examination of our brother's char- 
acter, that charity that "hopeth all things." 

VI L The necessity of regeneration. 

The necessity of regeneration grows out of the nature 
of things. The happiness of all beings depends upon 
the affinity that exists between their natures, and the 
things to be enjoyed. If there is no congeniality, there 
can be no happiness. Man cannot live and be happy in 
the fire. Why ? Because there is no affinity between his 
physical nature and this element. 

When we look abroad in the animal kingdom, we find 



REGENERATION. 



131 



that every animal possesses a nature adapted to the ele- 
ment and mode of life for which it was designed by its 
Creator, and its happiness depends upon this affinity. The 
fish possesses a body and powers suited to the element of 
water, for which it was designed ; but take it out of the 
water and place it in the air, and its happiness and exis- 
tence are destroyed. The bird possesses a nature adapted 
to the element in which it moves ; but its happiness and 
existence depend upon its remaining in this element. 
Transport it from this to the element of water, and its en- 
joyment and life are destroyed. 

There are some quadrupeds and animalcules, that can 
only live and be happy in damp, dark, subterraneous 
abodes. Their nature is adapted to this state ; but place 
some others in this situation, and they would inevitably 
get blind and perish. It is obvious from these considera- 
tions, that the happiness of animals depends upon the af- 
finity that exists between their natures, and the element 
in which they live. 

When me ascend, from the animal to the moral king- 
dom, we find the same principle. The happiness of man 
depends upon the affinity that exists between his moral 
nature, and the moral element in which he is placed. 
Where there is no affinity, there can be no happiness ; 
unless man possesses the moral and spiritual character of 
the society in which he is placed, he cannot, in the nature 
of things, be happy. The unregenerated man does not 
possess the spirit and character of the society of heaven. 
There is no affinity between the two. The one is holy, 
the other is unholy. One is animated by a spirit of love and 
obedience, the other of enmity and rebellion. It then 
necessarily follows that the sinner must be born again. 



132 



REGENERATION. 



before he can enter into, and enjoy the society of heaven. 
The fact that man is a sinner, evinces the necessity of 
regeneration. His heart is filled with enmity against God 
and man. There you will find hatred, bitterness, animos- 
ity, strife* pride, sordid selfishnesss. This shows the ne- 
cessity of his regeneration ; for, if he were admitted into 
heaven with his heart filled with these wicked passions' 
he would destroy the peace and happiness of heaven, and 
tarn it into a hell. 

The Scriptures positively declare, that a man must be 
regenerated before he can be admitted into heaven, and 
that all unregenerated characters shall be shut out of 
heaven— that all the wicked shall be turned into hell. 
John 3:3; Mat. 18 i 3 ; 1st Cor. 6 : 9, 10 ; Rev. 21 : 
8; Mat. 13: 41, 42 ; 25: 46. 

It is obvious from the above considerations, that the sin- 
ner must be regenerated, and made a new creature in 
Christ Jesus, or he can never enjoy the blessed and holy 
society of heaven. He must be born again, or he is lost, 
forever lost. Oh what a solemn truth ! It shoi^d arouse 
the sinner to earnest thought and action. It should awa- 
ken the careless to a sense of their danger. sinner ! 
remember that if you would enjoy the heart-cheering 
smiles of God, the society of the blessed Christ, the fel- 
lowship of the holy angels, the blessings and glories of 
heaven, you must be born again. This is the door to 
happiness and heaven. 

"Sinners! this solemn truh regard! 

Hear all ye sons of men; 
For Christ, the Savior, hath declared, 

<Ye must be born again.' 



REGENERATION. 



Whate'er might be your birth or bloody 

The sinner's boast is vain; 
Thus saith the glorious Son of God, 

Ye must be born again." 



DISCOURSE XL 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

john v : 28, 29. 

The hour is coming, in the which all that are in their graves 
shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done 
good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done 
evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 

"If a man die, shall he live again ? " This is the most 
thrilling and important question that ever interested the 
mind of man. Man comes forth upon the stage of action, 
endowed with noble and godlike powers of mind — mingles 
for a few years in the scenes and associations of earth, 
passes off from the active stage of life, and is known no 
more. His stay here is limited to the narrow circle of 
three score years and ten : cc Hecometh forth like a flower, 
and is cut down: he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not." 
Aye, like the chilling blasts of winter, that palsy and be- 
numb his limbs, the dark and dismal night of death closes 
around him in the midst of his pursuits, and shrouds him 
in the darkness of the grave; The body soon decompo- 
ses, mingles with its original elements, and it is impossi- 
ble for us to distinguish the matter that composed it, 
"Man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



135 



ghost, and where is he ? " Is this the last of him ? Has 
the lamp of reason gone out in everlasting darkness ? Is 
the lamp of life extinguished forever ? Is there nothing 
in reserve for him ? Is he to remain forever under the 
dark empire of the grave ? Is the "valley and shadow 
of death" the ultimate boundary of human hopes and 
prospect-s — or, is there "a land inhabited ? " These are 
questions that cannot be answered by the light of reason 
alone ; but here Revelation comes to our aid, and 
throws a flood of light upon this important subject ; 
it draws aside the vail that shrouded the future destiny of 
man in Tartarean darkness, and reveals the sublime and 
thrilling doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and a 
state of immortality beyond the gloomy shades of the 
tomb. 

I. What is it that is to he raised "from the dead ? " 

Is it the body, or the soul, that is to be raised "from the 
dead S " In answer to this, I would ask, what is it that 
dies ? Is it the souls of men ? No, it is the body. It 
follows, then, as a necessary sequence, that it is the body 
that is to be raised from the dead. If it is not to be rais- 
ed front the dead, there can be no resurrection ; for there 
is nothing else to raise from the dead. Paul speaks of a 
" resurrection of the dead." It is something that is dead, 
that is to be raised to life. This must be the body; for the 
resurrection is not simply a separation of the soul from 
the body, but a raising of something "from the dead," 

The text clearly teaches the literal resurrection of the 
body from the grave. Some make the grave mentioned in 
the text, the grave of sin and moral pollution, from which 
men are raised by the spirit and power of divine truth. 
This cannot be correct, from the consideration that those 



136 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAR*. 



"that have done evil, come forth unto the resurrection ©•{ 
damnation." According to the teaching of Christ and 
the apostles, when a man is resurrected from the grave 
of sin, he is raised to life, and not to damnation. Paul, 
speaking of a spiritual resurrection, says: "God, even 
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us togethev 
with Christ, and hath raised us np together, and made us 
sit together in heavenly places, in Christ Jesus." This 
proves that Christ is not speaking of a spiritual, but of a 
literal resurrection of the body from th& dead. 

Paul said to the Roman brethren : "If the spirit of 
him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you ; he 
that raised up Christ from the dead, ;shall also quicker* 
your mortal bodies by his Spirit, that dwelleth in you." 
What is it that is to be raised from the dead ? Paul an- 
swers, "Your mortal bodies." "Mortal bodies," do not 
mean the souls of rueu ; but it means just what it says. 
The Apostle said to- the Philippians, "our conversation is 
in heaven ; from whence, also,, w& look for the Savior, the 
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile* body, that 
it may be fashioned like unto his glorious bfldy." Christ 
is not going to make us a new body out of new materials-, 
but he is going to "change our vile body," and fashion it 
like unto his glorious body." 

An inspired writer said, that "this corruptible must put 
on incorrup.tion, aad this mortal must put on immortal- 
ity." What is it that is "corruptible ? " Surely it is not 
the soul. It is the body alone that is corruptible, and 
this "must put on incoiTuption." What is it that is "mor- 
tal ? " It cannot be the soul, for this shall never die. It is 
the body that is "mortal," and this must put on immortal- 
ity." It is otavious,, from these considerations^, that it Ls 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



the body that is to be raised "from the dead." The res- 
urrection of Christ's body from the grave, confirms the 
doctrine of a literal resurrection from the dead. David 
speaks of Christ's resurrection in the following language : 
"My flesh, also, shall rest in hope: for thou wilt not 
leave my soul in hell ; neither wilt thou suffer thine 
holy one to see corruption." On this passage, Peter 
makes the following beautiful comment : "Men and breth- 
ren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, 
that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with 
us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and know- 
ing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the 
fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up 
Christ to sit on his throne ; he, seeing this before, spake 
of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left 
in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus 
hath God raised up.' 5 How can the declaration "My 
flesh shall rest in hope," be a prophecy of the resurrection 
of Christ, if his flesh was not raised from the dead ? Pe« 
ter emphatically declares that his "flesh did not see cor- 
ruption." This proves that his body was raised from the 
dead. 

In speaking of his resurrection, Christ says, "Destroy 
this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The 
Jews supposed that he was speaking of their temple ; "but 
he spake of the temple of his body." What else could 
the Jews destroy ? They could destroy his body, but they 
could not destroy the soul. The very same body which 
the Jews could and would destroy, he would raise up in 
three days from the dead. This proves that it was his 
body that was raised from the grave to life again. 

The resurrection of Christ is the pledge and pattern of 



138 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

our resurrection. It is the foundation of our hopes of a 
resurrection from the dead. In the resurrection, the bodies 
of the righteous shall be changed and made like the glo- 
rified body of Christ. He "shall change our vile body, 
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." "As 
we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also 
bear the image of the heavenly. " 

I will close my remarks upon this point, in the lan* 
guage of Paul, who, in speaking of the body, says : "It is 
■sown in corruption ; it is raised in incorruption : it is 
sown in dishonor ; it is raised in glory : it is sown in 
weakness } it is raised in power: it is sown a natural 
body ; it is raised a spiritual body.' 5 No language can 
be more explicit and unequivocal than this. It is too 
plain and pointed to need comment. 

The resurrection of the body is the doctrine of revela- 
tion. Nature cannot teach us this sublime truth ; yet this 
doctrine perfectly harmonizes with the teachings of na- 
ture. Though nature cannot teach us that the dead will 
rise from the darkness and gloom of the grave, invigorated 
with new life ; yet it powerfully sanctions what is reveal- 
ed in the Gospel, in reference to the dead. Behold the 
beautiful and glorious world around us! The fresh and 
blooming spring has opened before us ) the vegetable pro- 
cess has commenced, and the vegetable kingdom puis 
forth new life. The warm and glowing summer follows, 
and the vegetable process comes to perfection. A few 
weeks pass, and the mild and lovely autumn approaches ; 
the stalk withers and dies — vegetable death reigns tri- 
umphant — and, to a superficial observer, the vegetable 
productions of the earth seem to be destroyed ; but win- 
ter passes away, and her dreary reign closes. Look yon- 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



139 



der at the foot of that withered and dead stalk ! There 
comes up another, like its former self, in organism, beau- 
ty, and odor ; here we behold a vegetahle resurrection. 
We bury the body in the grave, it is soon decomposed 
and resolved into its original elements ; to all human ap- 
pearance it is lost beyond the hope of redemption ; but 
the long and dreary winter of death shall be succeeded 
by the glorious spring of immortality, and man shall 
come forth from the iron dominion of the grave, clothed 
in immortal youth and unfading beauty. 

But, says the infidel* it is hard to conceive how the 
body, after its decomposition, is to be restored to its for- 
mer identity. This is true ; but it is equally as hard to 
conceive how the vegetable, after its death and decompo- 
sition, is restored* It is impossible to understand how 
the vital principle of the vegetable, forces its way up- 
ward, through the inorganic world, and forms for itself a 
newf vegetable organism. But who doubts the fact, 
because he cannot understand the philosophy of it ? 
There is no more mystery in the doctrine of the resurrec- 
tion of the body, than there is in the vegetable process 
by which a vegetable organism is produced. 

Another objection to the resurrection of the body, is, 
that it becomes totally decomposed after death, mingles 
with other elements, forms numberless new combinations, 
and parts of it pass into impalpable gasses — these again 
uniting with other substances, and these substances again 
suffering decomposition, and thus the process goes on un- 
til the identity of the body is utterly lost. This is one of 
the most popular objections to the resurrection of the 
body ; but the developments of science have removed 
this objection. Science has clearly developed the fact, 



140 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 

that gubstances which are invisibly incorporated with air, 
water, and other fluids, and which seem to be entirely 
lost, may be made to appear in their original forms : for 
instance, put a solid piece of camphor into a phial half 
filled with the spirits of wine, and in a short time it will 
be dissolved in the fluid, and the liquid will be as trans- 
parent a6 at first ; then add water to the fluid, and it will 
unite with the spirits, and the camphor will be elimina- 
ted, and fall to the bottom of the phial. By this means the 
camphor may be nearly all recovered, and, by distillation, 
the spirits may be separated from the water. Thus it may 
be with the body : though it maybe decomposed, mingled 
with the elements, and apparently lost forever; yet God 
can as easily separate it from the elements and restore 
its identity, as the chemist can, by an application of the 
laws of chemistry, eliminate the dissolved camphor. 

Take another illustration : The chemist will take a 
piece of gold into his laboratory, file it to powder, dissolve 
it with acids, alloy it with other metals, grind it to pow- 
der, throw it into the fire, and bring it out the same gold, 
freed from all other substances; he can mould it again in 
the same dye, and be perfectly sure that it is the Scina 
gold. Is the God of infinite wisdom, and omnipotent 
power, whose vast laboratory is the mighty universe, less 
skillful than man? Cannot he, whose Almighty fiat 
called the universe into being, and stretched out the heav- 
ens as a curtain, collect together the fragments of the 
human body, although mingled with the elements, and 
scattered to the four winds of heaven ? It requires no 
greater display of divine power and infinite wisdom to 
accomplish this work, than it did to form man out of the 
dust of the earth. 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



HI 



Again, it is objected that the resurrection of the body 
implies the resurrection of every identical particle of 
matter of which it is composed; This, it is contender 
is impossible in the nature of things, as one body at death 
becomes parts of other bodies at their death ; and conse- 
quently two or more souls would claim the same body in 
the resurrection. In answer to this. I remark, that the 
Scriptures do not teach that just the same amount of gross 
matter, neither more or less, which was deposited in the 
grave, is essential to the resurrection. All that the Scrii - 
tures teach, is* that which constitutes the essential identi- 
ty of the body, shall be raised again; not, indeed, tne 
gross matter that w r as laid in the tomb, but refined, puri- 
fied, and spiritualized. Paul has beautifully illustrated 
this point : ''That which thou sowest, thou sowest noi 
that body that shall be, bat bare grain, it may chance 
of wheat, or some other grain : but God giveth it a body 
as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body." 
The stalk of grain, that springs from the seed that was de- 
posited in the earth, is not composed, numerically, of the 
same matter that composed the seed that was sown ; yet 
it comes from it. Its identity is preserved. So, also, is 
the resurrection of the dead. The body that is raised 
from the dead, may not embrace every particle of matter 
that composed the body that was laid in the tomb ; yet it 
is formed out of it. This does not destroy the essential 
identity of the body. Our bodies, during our life, under- 
go a great change, so far as the amount of gross matter con- 
tained in them is concerned. Look yonder, at that man, 
who weighs one hundred and seventy-five pounds ! He is 
struck down by a malignant disease, and in a few days is re- 
duced to one hundred and forty pounds. Here is a great 



142 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



change, so far as the amount of gross matter contained in 
his system is concerned ; yet his identity is not destroyed. 
No one imagines that he has a different body. Our bodies 
are not composed of the same particles of matter for the sho) t 
space of fifty hours ; yet we are conscious that we have 
the same body. This proves that the same particles of 
matter are not essential to the identity of the body. 

It is obvious, from the above considerations, that the 
body of man shall be raised from the grave to a new and 
immortal life. The long and gloomy night of death shall 
be succeeded by the glorious morning of immortality and 
eternal life. The darkness of the grave shall be swal- 
lowed up in the light and the glory of immortality. 
Thank God ! 

"Spring shall visit the mouldering urn. 

And day shall dawn on the night of the tomb." 

II. There is to be a resurrection of all men from the 
dead: "For, as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall 
all be made alive." All who die in Adam, shall be made 
alive in Christ. All that man lost in Adam, he shall re- 
gain in Christ. He was brought under the dominion of 
death by sin, and he shall be delivered from that bondage 
by Christ, who is "the resurrection and the life." — Acts 
24 : 15 ; Dan. 12 : 2 ; John 5 : 28, 29. 

The resurrection of our body is not dependant upon 
what we can do. We must be raised from the grave, 
whether we will, or will not. We have nothing to say 
in this work. The resurrection is absolute and uncondi- 
tional. The decree has gone forth, and it must be obey- 
ed. The Almighty fiat will call forth the slumbering 
millions from the tomb. In the resurrection of all men 
from the grave, we see the goodness and justice of God 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



143 



clearly developed. He does not leave man to suffer eter- 
nally the consequences of that over which he has no con - 
trol. He leaves the incorrigible sinner to suffer eternally 
the consequences of his own sins ; but he will deliver us 
from the dominion of death, under which we were brought, 
without our consent. 

It is necessary that all men be raised from the dead, in 
order to prepare them for the judgment. God has ap- 
pointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in 
righteousness by Christ ; consequently, all must be rais- 
ed from the dead, else how can they be judged. The 
Apostle John, in looking through the dark vista of fu- 
ture ages, saw the final consummation of this great pur- 
pose of God.— Rev. 20 : 11, 12. 

III. The resurrection of the dead* and the second com- 
ing of Christ, are events precisely coetaneous. The era 
of one is the era of the other. "Christ the first fruits* 
afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming, 5 * Here 
wa have the resurrection of the dead, and the second com- 
ing of Christ, connected together. 

One great object of the second corning of Christ, is the 
resurrection of the dead. Christ once came to redeem 
the soul of man from sin ; but he is coming again to re- 
deem the body from the dominion of death. "I will ran* 
so-m them from the pow T er of the grave ; I will redeem 
them from death: death, I will be thy plagues; O 
grave, I will be thy destruction : repentance shall be hid 
from mine eyes." "The hour is coming, in the which all 
that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall 
come forth :" "for he must reign till he hath put all enemies 
under his feet : the last enemy that shall be destroyed is 
death." Christ has met, and grappled with the dreaded 



144 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



monster, in the dark shades of the tomb. He triumph- 
ed over the enemy in his strongest held, "I am he that 
liveth," saith Christ, "and was dead ; and behold, I am 
alive forever more> and have the keys of hell and of 
death*" In the last day, he will unlock the vaulted 
tombs, and call forth the slumbering millions of the dead : 
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a 
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump 
of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 

Oh, what a tremendous and glorious scene here opens 
to our view ! It is the last tragic scene in the grand 
drama of human events. The revolutions of empires, 
the fall of kingdoms, the annihilation of republics, and 
the destruction of nations, dwindle into comparative in- 
significance, when compared to the decisions of that aw- 
ful day. Had I the eloquence of an angel, and a voice 
like seven thunders, I eould not describe the awful and 
tremendous scene that revelation here opens to our view. 

"Amazing period ! when each mountain height outburns Vesu- 
vius, 

Rocks eternal pour their melted masses, as rivers once they 
poured, 

Stars rush, final ruin fiercely drives her ploughshare o'er crea- 
tion." 

"And I saw," said John, "a great white throne, and 
him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heav- 
ens fled away ; and there was found no place for them. 
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God : 
and the books were opened : and another book was open- 
ed, which is the book of life : and the dead w r ere judged 
out of those things which were written in the books, ac- 
cording to their works; And the sea gave up the dead 



THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 



145 



which were in it ; and death and hell delivered up the 
■dead which were in them ; and they were judged, every 
man according to their works. And death and hell were 
€ast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And 
whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was 
€«st into the lake of fire." 



10 



DISCOURSE XII. 



THE RESURRECTION. 

john v : 28, 29. 

The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall 
hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, 
unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto 
the resurrection of damnation. 

The Scriptures inform us that the reign of death shall 
come to an end, and that man "shall be delivered from 
the bondage of corruption," and live to die no more. The 
question then arises in the reflecting mind, are all men 
to be raised to the enjoyment of the blessings of heaven ? 
Shall there be no distinction in the resurrection between 
the righteous and the wicked ? And what is the nature 
of the body that man shall possess after the resurrection ? 
These are questions of deep and thrilling interest to all 
men, and we must go to revelation for an answer. It is 
here alone that we can learn the truth, and receive an in- 
fallible answer. Revelation has answered those ques- 
tions, and our present business is to learn the answer. 

1. There is to be a distinction in the resurrection of the 
dead. The righteous shall be raised to "eternal life," 
and the wicked to "eternal damnation." The good man 



THE RESURRECTION. 



147 



shall be raised to a state of superlative happiness at the 
right hand of God ; but the wicked man shall be raised 
to a state of inexpressible misery. The language, of the 
text is pointed and unequivocal. "Ail that are in the 
graves shall come forth ; tfeey that have done good unto 
the resurrection of life ; and they that have, done evil, un- 
to the resurrection of damnation/' This, language clearly 
establishes three important points; 1st, That all men — 
"all that are in the graves," shall be. raised from the dead. 
2d. That the good man shall be raised to the enjoyment 
"of life," 3d. That the. wicked man shall be raised, to 
in i s e ry ,— t o "damn a ti on . - 

In the prophecy of Daniel, we have the following affir- 
mation : "Many of theory that sleep in the dust of the 
earth, shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to 
shame and everlasting contempt." This language is toe 
plain to need comment. It declares, in the most emphatic 
manner, that there shall be a vast distinction in the resur- 
rection, between the righteous and the wicked. 

On one occasion, some caviling Jews came to Chris: 
with a question touching the resurrection. They presenter 
the case of a woman who had seven husbands, and desire; 
to knew whose wife she would be in the resurrection. 
"Jesus answering, said unto them : the children of this 
world marry, and are given in marriage ; but they which 
shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the 
resurrection of the dead, neither marry, nor are given in 
marriage." The affirmation, "they which shall be ac- 
counted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection 
of the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; 
neither can they die any more ; for they are equal unto 
tbc angels, and are the children of God. being the chil- 



148 



THE RESURRECTIOxW 



dren of the resurrection ; " implies thai there will be some 
who shall not "be accounted worthy" to obtain this glo- 
rious state. This proves that there will be a difference 
between the righteous, and the unrighteous character in 
the resurrection. The good man "shall be accounted 
worthy to obtain" a state of blessedness, of which the 
wicked man shall be accounted unworthy. 

Paul said, "I count all things but lost for the excellen- 
cy of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord ; for whom 
I have suffered the logs of all things, and courit then! but 
dung, that I may win Christ ; and be found in him, not 
having mine own righteousness, which is of the law* but 
that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteous- 
ness which is of God by faith ; that I may know him, and 
the power of his resurrection^ and the fellowship of his 
sufferings, being made conformable unto his death ; it' by 
any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the 
dead." Paul endured all this suffering and sorrow, that 
he "might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." This 
proves that a resurrection to life and happiness, is depen- 
dent upon the character that man forms here ; for if all 
men are to be made holy and happy in the resurrection, 
why did Paul suffer so much to "attain" that which was 
absolutely certain ? If Paul knew that in the resurrec- 
tion, all men are to be raised to happiness, he might 
have avoided all his suffering and toil. The plain fact 
that Paul suffered so much to "attain unto the resurrec- 
tion of the dead;" proves that a resurrection to happi- 
ness and heaven is conditional. 

In speaking of the triumphs of faith, Paul said, "Wo- 
men received their dead raised to life again, and others 
were tortured, not accepting deliverance ; that they might 



THE RESURRECTION. 



149 



obtain a better resurrection," Here the Apostle speaks 
of "a better resurrection." The children mentioned in 
the first part of the passage, were raised to die again, and 
were subject to all the ills of life ; but in the "last day," the 
Christian shall be raised to immortal life, and all the 
blessings of heaven. This is "the better resurrection," 
which is only obtained by perseverance in well doing ; 
for the characters spoken of by Paul, suffered the most 
cruel torture, "not accepting deliverance," on the condi- 
tion of apostacy ;" "that they might obtain a better resur- 
rection." If all men are to be raised to holiness and 
happiness, why was it necessary for them to suffer so 
much to "obtain" it? This shows that this "better res- 
urrection" can be "obtained only by a virtuous and holy 
life. 

"As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be 
made alive. But every man in his own order." Dr. 
McKnight renders it thus : "Every one in his proper 
band." According to this, every one is to be raised in 
his proper band. The righteous in their band at the right 
hand of the Judge, and the wicked in theirs at his left 
hand. 

"There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the 
just, and unjust." From this language we learn, that 
there will be two characters in the resurrection, — -"the just, 
and the unjust." How can this be, unless there is a dis- 
tinction in the resurrection, between the "just, and the 
unjust." 

It is impossible in the nature of things, for the resurrec- 
tion of the body to change the moral character of the 
souL Sin and holiness belong to the soul, and not to 
the body ; and neither the death, nor the resurrection of the 



150 



THE RESURRECTION. 



body can change its moral complexion-. This can only 
be done by moral means. The resurrection of the body 
is effected by physical power, and this can never make 
the soul holy. The resurrection of the body shall be 
effected "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye ; " but 
the moral character of the soul, cannot be changed "in a 
moment." It takes time to accomplish this great work. 
We do not form evil habits "in a moment," neither can 
we change them "in a moment." The complexion of the 
soul cannot be changed by a foreign power alone. It is 
a work to which man must contribute. The idea that 
the soul is made holy in the resurrection, is unphilosophi- 
cal, opposed to the nature of the soul, and to moral 
goodness. 

II. The bodies of the righteous shall be raised incor- 
ruptible, spiritual, and immortal. 

The Gospel reveals a moral, spiritual, and physical re- 
generation, or salvation. The first is a salvation from 
sin, a resurrection from spiritual death. The second is a 
change of the body from a natural to a spiritual one. 
"There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." 
The natural body of the righteous, is that with which they 
are now clothed. This natural, or animal body of the right- 
eous man, is wisely adapted to the world in which he now 
lives. The spiritual body is that which the righteous 
man shall receive in the resurrection of the dead. This 
body shall be wisely adapted to the world that he shall 
then enter, and the sphere in which he shall then move. 
He shall then enter a higher, nobler, sublimer state. He 
shall fill a higher station in the scale of being than he 
now fills. He shall mingle with a higher and nobler or- 
der of intelligences, than those with whom he is now as- 



THE RESURRECTION. 



151 



sociated. He will be surrounded by more grand and sub- 
lime objects, than those by which he is now surrounded. 
He will be engaged in higher and nobler employments 
than the affairs of this world. The natural body is not 
adapted to that sublime and glorious state of being, and 
the elevated pursuits in which the immortal mind shall 
then engage. The natural body is beautifully adapted to 
this world, and the pursuits in which man now engages ; 
but it is not adapted to the spiritual world, and the eleva- 
ted sphere in which man shall then move. Hence, the 
Lord will provide a spiritual body for the righteous man, 
to prepare him for that immortal state, that he shall soon 
enter. This was the hope and expectation of Paul. "For 
we know," said he, "that if our earthly house of this tab- 
ernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an 
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." 

1. The natural body is corruptible, but the spiritual body 
is incorruptible. "It is sown in corruption ; it is raised 
in incorruption."" The natural body is subject to change, 
decay, and death. By the slighest causes the natural 
body is affected, and its beautiful mechanism thrown out 
of order. To-day we behold man in the strength and vi- 
vacity of early manhood; his eye sparkles with the fire 
and energy of the immortal soul that is confined within ; 
his cheek is tinged with the rose of health ; his step is 
firm and elastic. But to-morrow, how changed ! The 
adverse winds of the turbulent ocean of time, have blown 
upon him; the rose has faded from his cheek; his step 
has lost its elasticity ; and the fire that sparkled in his eye, 
has grown dim ; the natural body is shrouded in the dark 
mantle of death, and laid away in the silent chambers of the 
tomb, subject to decomposing and decay. It is soon 



152 



THE RESURRECTION. 



decomposed and resolved into its original elements. But 
tlio spiritual body is incorruptible. It is not subject to 
death and decomposition. It shall never be brought un- 
der "the bondage of corruption ;" but it shall bloom in 
immortal youth, and unfading beauty. 

"Hope looks beyond the bounds of time, 

When what we now deplore, 
Shall rise in full, immortal prime. 

And bloom, to fade no more." 

2. The natural body is dishonored by disease and 
death. "It is sown in dishonor ; it is raised in glory." 
Death is the punishment of sin, and it disgyaces and dis- 
honors "the natural body." Death renders "the natural 
body" loathsome and shocking to those who loved it 
best ; but the spiritual body is clothed in glory. I* is 
clothed in robes of light, fit for those whom the King of 
Heaven delights to honor. Daniel, in speaking of the ris- 
en bodies of the righteous, says, "They that be wise shall 
shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that 
have turned many to righteousness, as the stars forever 
and ever." And Christ says, "Then shall the righteous 
shine fortia as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." 
Our Savior gave his disciples an idea of this glosy at his 
transfiguration, when he changed his body in such a man- 
ner that "his face did shine as the sun," and his raiment 
became "shining, exceeding white, as the light." The 
spiritual body of the righteous is clothed in glory, like the 
glorious body of Christ. Christ "shall change our vile 
body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body/' 
"And as we have borne the image of the earthy, (Adam,) 
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly," (Adam.) 
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God ; and it doth not 



THE RESURRECTION. 



153 



yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he 
shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him 
as he is." 

"Array' d in glorious grace, 

Shall these vile bodies shine, 
And every shape, and every face, 

Look heavenly and divine." 

3. The natural body is weak and feeble. Man, at his 
best, is but a very feeble animal, so far as physical power 
is concerned ; and even this power is often wasted by 
disease, and is entirely destroyed by death. The natural 
body is not able to sustain the mind in its labors for the 
acquisition of knowledge; but it sinks under the fatigue 
of a few hours hard study. The body is often worn out, 
and dies under the labors of the mind. How often have 
we seen the industrious student sink into an early grave, 
worn out by his intellectual labors ; but the spiritual bo- 
dy shall be adapted to the sublime and godlike powers 
of the mind. It shall be endowed with a power and ac- 
tivity, that it is impossible for us to conceive. It shall be 
able to endure without fatigue the greatest efforts that the 
immortal mind is capable of putting forth. Clothed with 
this spiritual body, the mind will be fully prepared to 
range the delectable fields of knowledge ; drink deep at 
the pure fountain of wisdom that flows "out of the throne 
of God and the Lamb ;" and perpetually advance in the 
investigation of the sublime wonders of the ever-unfold- 
ing and ever-mysterious universe of God, Here the mind 
is tied down to the earth by this clog of clay ; but when 
it shall cast off this natural body, and put on the spiritu- 
al body, it shall ascend to the glorious rest that remains 
for the people of God, where it shall ever advance to- 



154 



THE RESURRECTION. 



ward's moral and intellectual perfection. Perhaps man 
shall then be permitted to visit the different worlds that 
are scattered throughout the unmeasured regions of infi- 
nite space, and investigate the sublime mysteries of "the 
great and marvellous works'' of God. 

"Though greedy worms devour my skin, 

And gnaw my wasting flesh ; 
"When God shall build my bones again, 

He'll clothe them all afresh. 

Then shall I see thy lovely face, 

With strong immortal eyes ; 
And feast upon thy unknown grace, 

With pleasure and ^iwrpri^J-' 

4. The natural body is an animal body, and is kept 
alive by food-, sleep, and air, as the bodies of animal's are. 
Food is necessary to the existence of the natural body. 
The resurrection body is a spiritual body of a more refined 
contexture, needing none of those animal refreshments; 
and is endowed with qualities of a spiritual nature, like 
the angels of God. "They who shall be accounted wor- 
thy to obtain that world-, and the resurrection of the dead, 
neither marty, nor are given in marriage : neither csn they 
die any more ; for they are equal unto the angels ; and 
are the children of God, being the children of the resurrec- 
tion." To sustain the spiritual body, all that is necessa- 
ry is the presence of the spirit. It needs no foreign aid. 
The mind, or spiritual part of man, does not need food 
like tfce body -to keep it alive. It can and does live inde- 
pendent of all such -aids. The spiritual body partakes of 
spiritual qualities and powers. It is as purely spiritual 
as the souk Now, if it be true, that the spiritual body is 
of as purely a spiritual nature as the soul, and the soul 



THE RESURRECTION. 



loo 



does not need Animal food to sustain it in being;, it fol- 
lows as a necessary sequence, that the spiritual body does 
not need such food to keep it alive. The spiritual body 
is perfect in all its parts ; no longer dependent upon 
natural productions for its support; oeing built upon in- 
destructible principles, and existing in a region where 
there shall be no more death ; no more causes of decay 
leading to dissolution ; and consequently no more neces- 
sity for food, nutrition, &c. The body is spiritual, has a 
spiritual existence, and a spiritual support. Such are the 
bo;lies of the righteous. 

III. There is something thrilling and animating in the 
doctrine of the resurrection. It is a fountain of joy arid 
comfort to the Christian. There is 'something dark and 
gloomy in the grave, and man shrinks back from death, 
fond of his prison and his clay; but the darkness and 
°loom of the tomb fades away before the glorious light of 
immortality. To the Christian it is a vestibule to a house 
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. I%e hour 
of death is a solemn hour. Then all those tender ties 
which bind us to the earth, must be torn asunder. We 
must bid a long farewell to all our earthly friends, how- 
ever dear. For the last time the husband must take the 
parting hand of that loved one, that has shared with him 
the sorrows and joy's of life ; for the last time, he must 
imprint the parting kiss upon the cheek of his loved little 
ones'; for the last time he must bid farewell to those be- 
loved brothers and sisters, with whom he has spent so 
many pleasant hours. The world recedes from his view, 
and the grave opens before him; but to the Christian, 
there arlseth a light amid the darkness and gloom of the 
tomb. By faith he looks forward through the dark vista 



156 



THE RESURRECTION. 



of the future, to the coming of the Lord, and the resurrec- 
tion of the dead ; and, in the sweet composure of trium- 
phant hope, he can adopt the sublime and elevated strains 
of the poet : 

"\ know that he whose years can ne'er decay, 
Will from the grave redeem my sleeping clay ; 
"When the last rolling sun shall leave the skies, 
1 shall survive, aud o'er the dust arise. 
Then shall this mangled skin new form assume, 
This flesh then flourish in immortal bloom ; 
My raptured eyes the judging God shall see, 
Estrang'd no more, but friendly then to me ! 
How does this lofty hope my soul inspire ! 
1 burn, I faint, with vehement desire I" 

When called to follow a beloved friend to the silent 
tomb, with what joy does the mind dwell, upon the doc* 
trine of the resurrection ! The thought of a resurrection 
comes as an angel of mercy to wipe away our tears, and 
soothe the wounded spirit. It dispels the darkness of the 
grave, and reveals to our enraptured mind a realm where 
the rainbow never fades — *where the flowers bloom forev^ 
er — where the sweet songs of the immortal songsters shall 
never cease— where man shall bloom in immortal youth 
and unfading beauty, 

1 saw a heart-stricken and lonely widow standing at 
the grave of a loved one. Beneath the green hillock jies 
buried the companion of her youth. Joys and pleasures, 
long since fled, come crowding thick and fast upon her 
memory. She thought of (he many happy hours they had 
?ipent, and the pLeasant scenes through which they had 
passed, in the enjoyment of each other's society. An in- 
describable loneliness gathered around her soul, and she 
wept tears of bitter sorrow. She thought, "is this the 



THE HEStRRECTlOff, 



157 



last of him who was as near and dear to me as my own 
soul ? Shall I never enjoy his society again? Shall the 
darkness of death shroud him fiom my view forever? 
death ! inexorable death !" A kind angel of mercy from 
heaven, whispered in her ear, "weep not, as those who 
have no hope. Thy husband shall live again. Day 
shall dawn on the night of the grave, and spring shall 
visit the mouldering urn. Thou shall be reassociated 
with that loved one in a brighter and better world than 
this, — where death is an eternal stranger." By faith she 
saw the descending Lord — the rising dead— and heard the 
shout of victory, as it burst from the heaven-inspired lips 
of the mighty multitude : "0 death, where is thy sting! 
grave, where is thy victory ?" The cloud passed from 
her mind— the light of heaven shone into her soul — -she 
wiped away her tears, and returned to the duties of life, 
rejoicing with a joy that is unspeakable, and full of glory. 



discourse xm. 



IMMORTALITY. 

II TIMOTHY 1 : 10. 

Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and 
immortality to light through the Gospel. 

Immortality is the glorious discovery of Christianity. 
It is true, that prior to the advent of Christ, all the na- 
tions of the earth had a faint idea of a spirit land ; but 
their notions were crude and imperfect. Before Christ, 
immortality was but a conjecture— a faint hope. The 
most profound philosophers of antiquity could not re- 
move the gloomy doubts that hung around this thrilling 
truth, and arrive at absolute certainty. Christ hath visit- 
ed our earth, and by his teaching, death, resurrection, 
and ascension, has scattered the gloomy clouds that 
shrouded the future state in Tartarean darkness. "He 
hath brought life and immortality to light through the 
Gospel." The doctrine of immortality is now established 
upon a firm foundation. Christ hath made it a certainty ; 
it is no longer a conjecture. 

Scripture and reason clearly teach us, that man has a 
soul. The question then to be settled is, is the soul im- 
material, and can it exist separate from the body ? This 



IMMORTALITY. 



159 



is a question of the most thrilling interest, and in answer- 
ing it, I take the position that the soul is immortal,, im- 
material, and will live time without end. 

1st. Matter — I care not how much it may be modified, 
or into what shape it may be thrown — can neither, think, 
love, nor hate; but the mind of man never ceases to 
think, love, and hate. This proves that the mind, or soul 
of man, is something distinct from the body. Matter and 
mind are substances which are, in their nature,, rad- 
ically and essentially different : matter is divisible, mind 
is indivisible. It is self-evident that: matter does not 
possess the power of thought. This is a power that does 
not belong to matter. If matter is cogitative, then every 
particle of matter in the universe is a distinct mind. Ac- 
cording to this philosophy, man, instead of possessing 
one mind, which governs the body, possesses an infi- 
nite number of minds. If matter is cogitative, then every 
particle of matter in the body of man is a distinct mind. 
Why does the sense of thinking lay in the head, and all 
the ministers of sensation make their report to something 
there, if all matter is apprehensive and cogitative ? For 
in this case there would be as much thought and under- 
standing in the fingers, toes, and every where else, as in 
the head. If we admit that matter is cogitative, it must 
continue to think until it is annihilated; thus, even ma- 
terialism leads us to the doctrine of immortality. 

2d. Matter does not possess the power of locomotion ; 
vis inertia is a property of all material substances. Take 
the rock, for an example : it does not possess the power 
of putting itself in motion ; it is motionless ; and, unless 
moved by some foreign pow r er, it will remain in the same 
position through all coming time. The body of man is 



ICO 



IMMORTALITY. 



natural, and in order to move, it must be acted on by 
some body or power, possessing properties or power es- 
sentially different from those possessed by matter. The 
change from rest to motion is effected by willing: my 
arm moves in obedience to my will. The thing in us 
that wills, is not matter: for this is a power that does 
not belong to matter; and, since willing is a property 
which cannot subsist by itself without a subject of which 
it is the power, I conclude that the thing in us which 
wills, is an immortal being, and this is what Christ calls 
the soul. Now, if the soul is an immaterial being, dis- 
tinct from the body, it follows as a necessary sequence, 
that it is not dependent upon the state of the body for 
its continuance in being. 

3d. All material substances are governed by the law of 
limitation. Vegetables, and the bodies of men and ani k 
mals, soon come to perfection : they are limited in their 
growth. Not so with the mind : it is not governed by 
the laws of limitation — it is endowed with the power of 
unlimited expansion. My arm has grown so long, and 
the necessary laws of limitation forbid its longer growth ; 
but who can say thus of the mind ? The fact that the 
mind of man is capable of endless improvement, is strong 
presumptive evidence of its immortality. The noble and 
godlike powers of man, prove that he is destined for a 
higher and nobler state of being than this. His sublime 
powers of mind, when sanctified by the religion of Christ, 
qualify him for the fellowship of angels, and the society 
of the noblest intelligences of the universe. "It is rea* 
sonable to suppose, that a being of such vast powers of 
mind, which are capable of indefinite improvement, is 



IMMORTALITY. 



161 



limited in its existence to the narrow circle of three score 
years and ten ? Shall 

"A soul possessed 
Of such extensive, deep, tremendous powers, 
Enlarging still," 

be annihilated, and sweep, with a mighty besom of des- 
truction, into the dark abyss of non-existence ? This is 
unphilosophical and absurd. 

4th, The strong desire of future existence implanted 
in the mind, is a strong proof of a future state. There 
is no human being that is satisfied with his present attain- 
ments. It matters not how great a man's intellectual at- 
tainments may be-, ftrwhat his situation in life, he is nev- 
er satisfied with them. There is a vacuum in the mind 
that these things can never fill. The mind is ever on the 
stretch after something higher. The man of pleasure is 
never satisfied with his present enjoyments. He is con- 
stantly on the stretch after something higher, that will in- 
crease his pleasure. The miser is never satisfied with his 
present possessions ; it matters not how great his possess- 
ions, he is constantly straining every nerve to accumulate 
more. The scholar is never satisfied with his present at- 
tainments. The most profound philosopher that ever 
adorned our earth, was not satisfied with his present 
knowledge. Were a Newton, a Franklin, a Locke, a 
Boerhave, a Clarke, a Channing, satisfied with their pres- 
ent attainments ? No ! Their lives were one continued 
improvement, "regardless of the past, unsatisfied with the 
present, man feasts himself on hope of enjoyments never 
yet possessed/' 

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast, 
Man never is> but always to be blest, 
11 



102 



I MM OUT ALIT V. 



The soul, uneasy, and confined at home, 
Rests and expatiates in a life to coxae." 

This burning desire is common to all men, in every 
situation in life. This is strong presumptive evidence of 
man's immortality. If God did not design that man 
should live forever, why did he plant this desire in his 
mind ? Surely God never designs to tantalize his crea- 
tures. The poet asks, 

"Whence comes this pleasing hope, this fond desire, 
This longing after immortality ? " 

It was planted in the mind of man by the hand of God. 

5th. "That the thinking principle in man is immortal, 
and will never die, was believed by the ancient Egyptians, 
the Persians, the Phoenicians, the Scythians, the Celtes, 
the Druids, the Assyrians, and by all the wisest and most 
celebrated among the Greeks and Romans." Homer, 
Virgil, and Ovid, sung of Elysian fields and Hesperian 
gardens, where the souls of their heroes enjoyed the 
smiles of their Gods, and ranged the delectable fields of 
blessedness. This is presumptive of a future state of 
being. 

6th. The inspired writers represent the body of man as 
the tabernacle, or house, in w r hich the soul resides : "Be- 
hold, he put no trust in his servants, and his angels he 
charged with folly. How much less in them that dwell 
in houses of clay." — Job 4: 18, 13. Here the body is 
represented as a house of clay, in which the soul dwells. 
Paul uses a similar expression in 2d Cor. 5 : 1 — "For 
we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle 
were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not 
made with hands, eternal in the heavens." According 
to this language, there is a clear distinction between the 



IMMORTALITY. 



103 



body and the soul of man. The body is the tabernacle, 
and the soul is the inhabitant of that tabernacle. Who 
ever imagined that the house in which man dwells, is the 
man himself; that the house and the man are identical ; 
that one cannot exist without the other? The language 
of Peter upon this point is clear and unequivocal. "Yea, 
I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir 
you up, by putting you in remembrance ; knowing that 
shortly I must put off this tabernacle, even as our Lord 
Jesus Christ hath showed me." Here the Apostle not 
only represents the body as the house or tabernacle in 
which the soul dwells, but speaks of a time which was 
near, when he should "put off this tabernacle ." This 
proves that the soul is not dependent upon the body for 
its continuance in being. 

7th. Our Savior said, "Fear not them which kill the 
body, but are not able to kill the soul." This language 
clearly teaches the immateriality and immortality of the 
soul. If the soul of man was material, and died with the 
body, then When man killed the body he would kill the 
soul also ; but Christ says that man is i: not able to kill 
the soul." 

8th. The history of the rich man and the beggar is to 
the point : "And it came to pass that the beggar died, and 
was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom : the rich man 
died also, and was buried ; and in hell he lifted up his 
eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and 
Lazarus in his bosom." The rich man died, his body was 
buried, and his soul went to hell. I care not whether this 
be regarded as a parable or as a history, it teaches the 
same sentiment. 



1G4 



IMMORTALITY, 



9th. Christ said to the penitent malefactor, "To-day 
shalt thou be with me in paradise.'' If the mind is the re 
suit of physical organization, and expires with the death 01 
the body, in what sense are we to understand this lan- 
guage of Christ? To-day does not mean to-morrow, nor 
a thousand years hence ; it means simply what it say* — 
to-day. The soul, the immortal part of the penitent 
thief, was with Christ in the paradise of God, whils: 
his body was in the grave. 

10th. "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses snor- 
ed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abra- 
ham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ; for 
he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all 
live unto him." — Luke 20 : 37, 38. Abraham had been 
dead upwards of three hundred years before these worris 
were spoken to Moses; yet, he still calls himself the God 
of Abraham, &c. Then, if he is not the God of the deau, 
but of the living, it follows, with all the force of demon- 
stration, that, if he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and 
Jacob, they are not dead, but alive. Though their 
bodies have been dead for centuries, and have long since 
mouldered back to their mother earth, their souls still 
live, and shall live as long as immortality shall las;. 

Thus we see that both reason and revelation harmon- 
ize upon this point. Though the light of nature alone 
cannot dispel all the dark clouds that hang around this 
thrilling truth, yet in her counsels we hear words of com - 
fort and hope. But God has not left us to the light of 
reason alone. He has drawn aside the dark vail that 
shrouded the future destiny of man in Tartarean dark- 
ness, and revealed the thrilling truth, that the lamp of 
intelligence, lighted up at the eternal fountain of wisdom, 



IMMORTALITY. 



165 



shall never be extinguished, but shall burn with increas- 
ing splendor, time without end — that the soul of man 
shall ascend to a sublimer state of being, and go on from 
strength, adding virtue to virtue, and knowledge to knowl- 
edge — that the mind shall perpetually advance towards 
moral and intellectual perfection. Well has the poet 
sung : 

''The stars shall fade away, the sun himself 
Grow dim with age, and all nature sink in years ; 
But thou shalt nourish in immortal youth, 
Unhurt, amidst the war of elements, 
The wreck of matter, and the crush of worlds." 

This earthly tabernacle may dissolve and crumble to 
pieces, but the thinking part of man shall survive the 
dissolution of the body, and live parallel with God. 

"Cold in the dust this perished heart may lie, 
But that which quickened once can never die, 
Unburied with its mortal frame, 
With living light, eternal and the same, 
Shall beam on joyous interminable years, 
Unrivalled by darkness, unassuaged by tears, 
Shall lure its eyes to deathless scenes sublime, 
Beyond the realms of nature and of time." 

It is pleasing to the imagination, and we love to follow 
our virtuous friends into the spirit land. True, we can- 
not turn our eyes to the particular point in the illimita- 
ble regions of infinite space, to which our friends go 
when they die ; yet we know to what beings they go. 
Though we know not where heaven is located, yet we 
know what is of more interest and importance to us — 
what beings it contains. There is the Lord Jesus Christ, 
the holy angels, and the blessed Father of all. When 
the virtuous soul leaves this world, it goes to Christ, 



IGG 



IMMORTALITY". 



Christ said to the thief on the Cross, "To-day shah thou 
be with me in paradise." Paul infomjs us that, when 
we are absent from the body, we are present with the 
Lord. This fact alone, assures us of their unutterable 
happiness. The good man cultivates an acquaintance 
with Christ here, through the sacred records ; he follows 
himj with veneration, through his eventful life, studies 
and treasures up in his mind his words, works, and pre- 
cious promises — and, by receiving his spirit, knows some- 
thing of the inexpressible happiness of those fairer worlds 
on high, 

''Where seraphs gather immortality, 

On life's fair tree, hard by the throne of God." 

It, no doubt, adds to the happiness of Christ to meet 
his followers safe on the fair shores of immortality. We 
may know something of the feelings of Christ on such 
an occasion as this, by w T hat our own feelings have been 
when we received to our embrace a kind and affectionate 
friend, who has been delivered from great danger. Look 
yonder, at that affectionate and devoted wife ! her beloved 
husband is tempest-tossed, in a fragile barque, upon the 
lashing waves of the mighty deep; he is in imminent danger. 
She watches and waits, with thrilling interest, the close 
of the tempestuous scene : the storm is hushed, the waves 
sink into rest, and he is delivered, and comes safe to 
land ; Oh ! with what inexpressible pleasure, with what 
exstatic joy she folds him to her bosom ! Such, only in- 
finitely greater, is the pleasure of Christ, in receiving one 
of his children to his embrace, in the spirit land. 

It increases the happiness of the child of God, to be 
admitted into the society of Christ. Suppose that we had 
a beloved friend, bound to us by the most sacred, holy, 



IMMORTALITY". 



107 



and indissoluble ties of nature and love, but are shut out 
from his society for a time, by causes over which we have 
no control. For instance, business calls him from our 
embrace to a foreign clime. With what pleasure and 
joy we would anticipate a reunion, and how greatly this 
pleasure and happiness would be increased by a reunion. 
Just so with the Christian ; he is united to Christ by a 
strong and undying love, and is, for a time, shut out from 
personal intercourse with him. But with what pleasure 
and joy does he look forward to the happy period, when 
he shall be admitted into personal communion with him. 
The happiness of the Christian in view is great ; but how 
greatly will it be increased when he is admitted into the 
presence of Christ. 

The virtuous man, when he leaves this world, not only 
goes to Christ, but he goes to the blessed society that he 
has gathered around him ; to the redeemed from all re- 
gions of the earth ; "to the city of the living God ; to an 
innumerable company of angels ; to the church of the 
first born ; to the spirits of the just made perfect." They 
go to that "great multitude," that John saw, "which no 
man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peo- 
ple, and tongues, which stood before the throne, and before 
the Lamb, clothed with robes, and palms in their hands." 
Into what a blessed society do they enter ! — the society 
of the highest intelligences of the universe of God, and 
enjoy close and intimate communion with all the truly 
wise and good that ever adorned our earth. There we 
shall be brought into close communion with Enoch, No- 
ah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and all the holy 
prophets and apostles. ! what a glorious thought, 
that we shall be admitted into such glorious society ! 



168 



IMMORTALITY. 



The society into which the righteous soul shall be ad- 
mitted, is free from all selfishness. Here there is nothing 
that clings toman with; such tenacity as selfishness— and 
there is nothing so destructive to the peace and happiness, 
of society. How afteu does the foul spirit of sordid sel- 
fishness invade the social circle, and scatter the fire- 
brands of discord, strife* envy* and bittes&ess, broad -cast 
upon society. This spirit is unknown in heaven ; the 
society of heaven is animated by a spisit of love; all 
minds in the abodes of blessedness are inspired witt th^ 
spirit of Christ. Thank God 1 

M There is a calm for thos© that weep, 

A rest for weary pilgrims found : 
And while the mouldering ashes sleep 

Low in the. ground. 

The soul, of origin divine, 

God's glorious image freed from clay* 

la heaven's eternal sphere shall shine. 
A star of day.. 

The sun is but a spark of fire, 

A transient meteor in the sky, 
The soul* immortal as its sire* 

Shall never die-." 

Heaven is a glorious reality ; its attractions should be* 
felt perpetually; it should overcome the mighty force 
with which the world draws us to itself. We should al- 
ways keep our, eyes fixed on heaven, and always act in, 
referenced it.. How little influence does heaven exert 
on the great mass of mind !. It is trie, that the attrac- 
tions of heaven have led some to renounce the service of 
sin, break off from their sinj-ul associations, and cultivate* 
those sublime virtues., that will prepare tb,em fox the bless- 



IMMORTALITY. 



ed society of heaven ; but the great mass of men act as 
though there was no heaven, no hell, and this world was 
their eternal home. what folly ! — what madness ! — - 
what unaccountable infatuation ! 

Suppose that there were, somewhere in Europe, "a 
country, uniting all that is beautiful in nature, and all 
that is great in virtue, genius, and the liberal arts, and 
numbering among its inhabitants the most illustrious phil- 
osophers, scholars, poets, statesmen, and philanthropists 
of our age" — and that they were free from sickness* pain, 
sorrow, and death — how eagerly would we cross the ocean* 
to visit it. The attractions of heaven are immeasurably 
greater. "Heaven unites all these things, and much 
more. There live the elder brethren of creation, the sons 
of the morning, who sang for joy at the creation of our 
race ; there are the great and the good of all ages and 
all climes; there are all the prophets, apostles, and holy 
martyrs ; there is our heavenly Father, and our blessed 
Savior. They say unto us, ec*me and share our everlast- 
ing blessedness ; come and imite in our songs of praise ; 
come and share our adoration and glory come and walk 
with us the golden streets of the new Jerusalem ; come 
and drink of the waters of life j come and mingle with 
us around the azure trnone of the mighty God ; come and 
gather immortality on life's fair tree* hard by the throne- 
©f God ; come and unite with us in singing the song of 
Moses and the Lar&b. Shall this voies speak to: us in 
vain ? Will we turn a deaf ear to the- melting calls of 
heaven? Shall we let our selfishness and worldliness. 
separate us from the abode of blessedness, and the soci- 
ety of heaven ? Oh I remember, my dying friends* that. 



170 



IMMORTALITY. 



without holiness of heart and life, no man shall ever be 
admitted into the society of heaven ! 

"Pure arc the joys above the sky, 

And all the region peace ; 
No wanton lips, nor envious eye, 

Can see or taste the bliss. 

Those holy gates forever bar 

Pollution, sin, and shame ; 
None shall obtain admittance there, 

But followers of the Lamb." 



DISCOUKSE XIY. 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 

GALATIANS 6 : *7. 

Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Reason and Revelation teach us that this life is only 
an embryotic state of existence — that death will usher us 
into a new life — that the soul shall live parallel with 
God. This great truth leads to a thrilling question : will 
our conduct in time have any bearing upon our eternal 
state ? Will the character that we form in time, deter- 
mine our future destiny ? Is there any moral connec- 
tion between this, and the future life ? These are mo- 
mentous questions, which should awaken serious thought 
in every mind. They should lead us to earnest enquiry 
into the great purpose for which life, and all its blessings 
were bestowed upon us. Were we placed here to pre- 
pare for a higher and nobler state of being? Is this life 
a state in which the mind is to be disciplined and quali- 
fied for a better world beyond the grave ? Paul answers, 
"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." 

Here the Apostle states a great truth — that "whatsoev- 
er a man soweth, that shall he also reap." This is true 
in the physical, intellectual, and moral world. When 



172 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 

ive look abroad in the vegetable kingdom, we find that 
the seed sown produces its own with an unerring certain- 
ty. The wheat produces wheat, and the coin produces 
corn. This is the fixed and immutable law of the vegeta- 
ble kingdom. Like always produces like. What is true 
in the vegetable kingdom, is true in the moral. If a man 
sows goodness, he reaps goodness ; if he sows evil, he 
gathers evil. "For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of 
the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the spirit, 
shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." "They that 
plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same." He 
that soweth inqiuity, shall reap vanity. "They have 
sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." 

The laws that govern the physical universe, are fixed and 
immutable, and can not be violated with impunity. We 
cannot violate any of them without sooner or later suffering 
the consequence. It is a law of the physical universe, that 
fire shall burn conbustible substances when brought in 
contact with them. This law cannot be violated with 
impunity. No man can thrust his hand into the fire 
without being burned. 

We find the same principle in the moral world. God has 
annexed certain penalties to all the laws of his moral 
kingdom ; and these laws cannot be violated without suf- 
fering the penalty. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that 
shall he also reap." Intemperance is a violation of the 
laws of our physical and moral nature. The inebriate 
reaps the fearful consequences in wasted health, a disea- 
sed body, a guilty conscience, the undying goadings of 
depraved desire, a ruined character, a disgraceful and un- 
lamented death. 

The punishment of sin is the natural eflfect of sin. It 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 



173 



as naturally follows the act of sin, as pain does the thrus- 
ting of the hand in the fire, or the report does the dis- 
charging of the gun. The suffering that follows the in- 
temperate use of intoxicating drinks, is the natural and 
necessary result of intemperance. It is the necessary ef< 
feet of an adequate cause. If we sow wheat, the neces- 
sary result is a crop of wheat. A diseased body, a guilty 
conscience, a sense of shame, the goadings of depraved 
desire, and a miserable death, as naturally, and necessa- 
rily follow intemperance, as wheat springs from wheat 
sown in the earth. 

The experience of all men, in all ages, and in all 
climes, proves that misery and unhappiness, are the nat- 
ural and necessary result of sin, mental perturbation, the 
sting of a guilty conscience, the undying goadings of de- 
prived desire, the ioss of the love and companionship of 
the good, disease, and death are the consequences of sin, 
"The wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot 
rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no 
peace, saith my God, to the wicked." "The soul that sin- 
neth, it shall die." "For the wages of sin is death." 

Here a solemn question arises in the mind : does the 
effects of sin on the soul, end with the mortal life, or do 
the consequences sin follow man into the eternal world ? 
Are sin and its effects buried w T ith the body in the grave, 
or are they felt beyond the shades of death ? Do we reap 
all the consequences of sin in time, or shall we gather 
some of its fruits in eternity ? Reason and revelation 
teach us, that the effects of sin reach beyond the circle 
of time — that its consequences will be felt in eternity — ■ 
that eternity is the place where w r e shall reap the full re- 
ward of our actions — that life is the seed time, eternity 



174 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 

the harvest — that we now sow the seed, hut shall gather 
the fruit in eternity — that our conduct in time determines 
our eternal destiny. This is the doctrine of reason and 
revelation. They clearly establish this solemn and tre- 
mendous truth. 

It is thought by some that there is no moral connection 
between time and eternity — that the present life will have 
no bearing on the future life — that all moral evil is buri- 
ed with the body in the grave. This sentiment is oppo- 
sed to the nature and laws of the mind. There is an in- 
timate and indissoluble connection between the success- 
ive states of the mind. Our present feelings, thoughts, 
desires, knowledge and character, are the necessary results 
of past feelings, thoughts, and actions. We are now 
what the past has made us. If at death, all influence of 
our past lives upon us is to cease, and a new character is 
to spring up at war with the past, then one of the plain- 
est and best established laws of the mind, must be viola- 
ted, and all analogy between the past and the future de- 
stroyed. This would destroy the identity of character 
and mind, and would, in reality, amount to the creation 
of a new soul. 

There is nothing in death to produce this change in the 
moral character of the soul. What is death? It is a 
dissolution of the organs through which the soul now 
acts, and by which it communicates with the outward 
world. Though there is an intimate relation between the 
mind and the body, yet there is a distinction between the 
two. The powers of the body are distinct from will, 
thought, and affection. Why then should the latter be 
reformed, changed and purified by the destruction of the 
former ? Death destroys the hands, the feet, the ears, 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 175 

and the eyes ; but these are frequently destroyed during 
life. Will this change the moral character of the soul ? 
Cut off the hands of the murderer ; will this destroy his 
disposition to commit murder ? The destruction of the 
bodily organs may destroy the power of the sinner, to in- 
dulge in his vicious habits ; but it cannot destroy his in- 
clination. Look yonder at that old sensualist ! He has 
indulged in sensuality until he has almost destroyed the 
physical man, and is no longer able to indulge his sen- 
sual passions, and, as he was want to do, plunge in sen- 
suality. But has he lost his love for sensual pleasures ? 
Has the temper and disposition of his mind changed ? 
Does his selfishness, low habits of thought, and sinful 
desires perish with his body ? No ! His heart is un- 
changed. The moral complexion of his soul is the same. 
This fact alone proves that death does not, and cannot 
change the moral character of the soul. 

The idea that death changes the moral character of the 
soul, is opposed to the nature of virtue, or moral good- 
ness. This implies moral liberty and action. A man 
cannot be made virtuous and good, as an instrument of 
music can be tuned by a foreign hand. It cannot come 
from without. It is something to which he must contrib- 
ute himself. It is the result of action. It implies con- 
quest of temptation. To imagine that virtue and moral 
goodness can be breathed into man, "just as breath can 
be imparted to a diseased body, 5 ' is to destroy the true dis- 
tinction between mind and body, and to reduce man to 
a mere machine. 

The idea, that there is no moral connection between 
the present and the future life, and that death changes 
the moral character of the soul, destroys all use of the 



176 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 



present life. If this life is not designed to have any in- 
fluence upon the future state of man, and man is to be 
made holy and virtuous by a sovereign act of Omnipo- 
tence, why did God place him here in a state of disci- 
pline, exposed to temptation ? This a problem that can- 
not be solved consistently with the theory, that man is 
made holy and happy by death, or the resurrection. 

We are not left to reason alone upon this great sub- 
ject. Revelation bears testimony to the same truth. Let 
us read a passage from the teaching of Christ upon this 
point : "Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo ! we have 
left all and followed thee. And Jesus answered, and said, 
verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left 
house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, 
or children, or lands, for my sake and gospels, but he 
shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, and in 
the world to come, eternal life." In this passage Christ 
teaches three great, and thrilling truths. 1st. That the 
Christian shall receive an hundred-fold in "this life," — 
"in this time." 2d. That he shall receive "eternal life in 
the world to come." 3d. That our entering into life 
eternal in "the world to come," depends on our conduct 
here — on our forsaking all and following Christ. The 
testimony of Paul is in harmony with the teaching of 
Christ: "Godliness is profitable unto all things, having 
promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to 
come." This language clearly establishes a connection 
between the present, and the future life ; for if there is 
no connection between man's character in this life, and 
his future state ; how can godliness have the promise "of 
the life which is to come ? " 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 



Ill 



Paul in speaking of the judgment, and the consequen- 
ces of sin and holiness, says : "God will render to every 
man according to his deeds : to them, who by patient con- 
tinuance in well doing, seek for glory and honor and im- 
mortality, eternal life ; but unto them that are conten- 
tious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousnes ; 
indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon 
every soul of man that doeth evil.*' The reward and 
punishment here spoken of, belong to the eternal world. 
This is obvious from the fact that "immortality is a part 
of the reward that the righteous shall receive. Immor- 
tality is not attainable in this world. It belongs to the 
future state of man. There is no man in his senses, that 
seeks for immortality as a thing attainable in this world. 
From this passage we learn, 1st. That the consequences 
of man's actions reach beyond the scenes of this life ; 
2d. That man's conduct in time, determines his eternal 
destiny. 

Again, Paul says, "the wages of sin is death" — that is, 
eternal death. This is obvious from the fact, that the 
Apostle is speaking of personal sins, The death of the 
body is not the result of our sins. Man must die, wheth- 
er he sins or not. The infant that knows no sin* is ex- 
posed to death, the same as the most hardened sinner. If 
it is not the death of the body, what death is it ? John 
answers : "The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abomi- 
nable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, 
and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the 
lake which burneth with fire and brimstone— which is the 
second death." 

To his Galatian brethren, Paul said, "Now the works 

of the flesh are manifest — which are these : Adultery, for- 
12 



178 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 



nication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, 
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, her- 
esies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revilings, and such 
like : of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you 
in time past, that they which do such things, shall not inher- 
it the kingdom of God." "They which do such things,'" is 
in the present tense ; and, "shall not inherit the kingdom 
of God" is in the future tense — that is, they that live af- 
ter the flesh in the present time, or life, shall not inherit 
the future everlasting kingdom of God. No other con- 
sistent interpretation can be given to this passage. 

In his instructions to Timothy, Paul said, "Charge them 
that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, 
nor trust in uncertain riches ; but in the living God, who 
giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, 
that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, wil- 
ling to communicate ; laying up in store for themselves a 
good foundation against the time to come, that they may 
lay hold on eternal life." That this "eternal life" be- 
longs to the eternal world, is obvious from the twelfth 
verse, where the Apostle uses the word in this sense. He 
would not use the same word in a different sense, in the 
same connection, without qualifying it ; but this he has 
not done in the above passage. If there is no moral con- 
nection between the present and the future life, and man 
has nothing to do to inherit "eternal life," why does Paul 
exhort us to pursue a certain line of conduct, that "we 
may lay hold on eternal life ?" Paul was too wise and 
good to make any thing obligatory upon man that would 
be of no benefit to him. 

"There remaineth, therefore," said Paul, "a rest for the 
people of God." "Let us labor therefore to enter into 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 1 79 

that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of un- 
belief." From this we learn, 1st. That God has provided 
a rest for his people. 2d. That man has a work to do 
to secure this rest. This rest belongs to the eternal world. 
Some have applied it to the spiritual rest that the people 
of God enjoy in this life. This cannot be correct, from 
the fact that those to whom Paul was writing, were alrea- 
dy in the possession of this rest ; but he speaks of a rest 
that was yet in reserve for them in the future. This rest 
must be in eternity. This proves that man's eternal des- 
tiny turns upon the character that he forms in time. 

The promises and threatenings of the Gospel, are coe- 
taneous in their fulfilment. The era of the fulfilment of 
one, is the era of the fulfilment of the other. "The Lord 
Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty an- 
gels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know 
not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction 
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
power ; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, 
and to be admired in all them that believe." Here the 
wicked are threatened with a punishment awful in its na- 
ture. When shall this punishment be executed ? "When 
Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints." This 
proves that the threatenings of the Gospel reach beyond 
the shores of time, else its promises secure to us nothing 
beyond this life — and this is downright infidelity. 

"Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my w ? ay, and 
ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins; whither I 
go ye cannot come : for if ye believe not that I am he. 
ye shall die in your sins." When Christ left this w r orld. 
he went to heaven. He "is gone into heaven, and is on 



180 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION*. 



the right hand of God." He asserts, in the most unequiv- 
ocal language, that those who die in their sins, cannot 
come to him in that glorious state. This shuts the sinner 
out of heaven, and proves that our admission into the 
abode of the blessed beyond the grave, depends upon the 
character that we form here. 

It is obvious, from the above considerations, that there 
is an indissoluble connection between time and eternity — 
that the character we form in time, will determine our fu- 
ture destiny — that life is the seed time ; eternity the har- 
vest — that 

** Time is eternity : 

Pregnant with all that eternity can give ; 
Pregnant with all that makes archangels smile/' 

Time leaves an indelible impression upon the soul, that 
it will carry with it into eternity. It does not pass with- 
out leaving its footprints upon our moral and intellectu- 
al nature. Every thought, word and action, leaves itsim 
pression upon our souls, and has an important bearing 
upon our immortal destiny. At every step we touch a 
wire that will vibrate to'all eternity. We are now culti- 
vating dispositions, habits, and desires, that will cling to 
us with the tenacity of identity itself. We are now lav- 
ing the foundation of future happiness or misery. We are 
now cultivating affections, sympathies, and desires, that in 
all coming time will shed over our souls the light, hap- 
piness, and joy of paradise ; or the darkness, misery, and 
gloom of hell. 0! my dying friends, "be not deceived ; 
God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man soweth, that 
shall he also reap ; for he that soweth to his flesh, shall 
of the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to the 
Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." what 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 



181 



a solemn and startling truth ! It should thrill every soul, 
and arouse all to deep and earnest thought and action. 

The great end for which time is givea to man, is to dis- 
cipline and prepare the soul for a higher, nobler, and sub- 
limer state ; to improve the heart ; to cultivate those af- 
fections, sympathies, desires, virtues, and graces, that 
will bring us in union with Christ, and qualify us for the 
society and blessings of heaven. Time was not given to 
be wasted in vanity and sin, but to be devoted in earnest 
efforts to gain the mastery of evil, to subdue our passions, 
cultivate our hearts, improve our minds, reform our lives, 
to acquire those virtues and graces, that shone with such 
peerless grandeur in the character of Christ. The su- 
preme object of our lives should not be worldly aggran- 
dizement, or the accumulation of property ; but the im- 
provement of the mind, the cultivation of the heart, and 
the reformation of the life. 

There is a great work for man to do ; evil passions are 
to be subdued, wrong habits to be corrected, groveling 
passions and desires to be eradicated from the heart, and 
a character to be formed that will qualify us for the en- 
joyment of the society and blessings of heaven. then, 
"strive to enter in at the straight gate; for many will seek 
to enter in, and shall not be able." "When once the 
master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door, 
and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, 
saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer 
and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are : depart 
from me ye workers of iniquity," then, improve your 
time, "because the days are evil." You are surrounded 
by dangers upon every hand. A strong and powerful un. 
der-current sets in upon you ; and unless you are watch- 



182 



THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION. 



ful, and earnestly engaged in improving your time, it will 
carry you down the stream of corruption, and ultimately 
plunge you in the mighty vortex of everlasting ruin. 
my dying friends, beware — beware, as you value your 
souls! You are in imminent danger. The sea looks 
calm and beautiful — there is no appearance of danger — 
the sky is serene — the breeze prosperous, and all looks 
lovely and inviting ; but there is a strong under-current, 
imperceptibly carrying you along, with ever-increasing ve- 
locity, down the stream, to certain and awful destruction. 
The outward circles of the awful whirlpool of eternal ru- 
in, are imperceptibly drawing you into its terrible em- 
brace. Oh, then, awake ! awake ! ! — awake from the 
sleep of carnal security, and flee for your life. All now 
looks lovely and beautiful. All nature is clad in robes 
of beauty and loveliness. The soft notes of the gentle 
zephyrs, fall like the melting sounds of distant music upon 
the ear ; the feathered songsters of the bower mingle their 
sweet strains with the music of the breeze — the sea is calm 
as a summer lake; the voice of joy and conviviality, from 
the sons of pleasure, is mingled with the melody of na- 
ture ; all is joy and mirthful ness. But, hark ! — what do 
1 hear ? What sound is that? It is the voice of the 
thunder-storm, the rushing of tbe whirlwind, the thunder- 
ing of the mighty whirlpool, the death-shriek of the lost 
mariner, as he is swallowed up in the awful vortex of ev- 
erlasting ruin. ye mariners, upon the ocean of time ! 
flee from the circling and deceitful waves of' the sleeping 
maelstrom, Ere long it will awake from its slumbers ; 
and in its fury and madness dash your fragile barque to 
pieces, and carry you down to irretrievable ruin. 



DISCOURSE XV. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER. 

i thess. 5 : IT. 

Pray without ceasing. 
Prayer is natural to man. There are none that live 
entirely without prayer. A man may trample the author- 
ity of God under his feet, disregard the claims of justice 
and gratitude, turn a deaf ear to the melting calls of mer- 
cy, and steel his heart against the denunciations of divine 
vengeance, whilst in health. He may live in neglect of 
the author of his being, and benefactor of his life, and 
never bring the sacrifice of a grateful heart to the altar o f 
prayer and thanksgiving ; and whilst the sea is calm, the 
sky serene, the breeze prosperous., and the tide favorable, 
he may seldom think of offering up a single prayer for the 
favor and protection of heaven ; but let the scene change, 
and his feelings change with it. Let a man be exposed to 
great danger, and his first thought is to pray. Look yon- 
der at that sin-hardened old sailor ! He is in the midst 
of a fearful storm. The sky is shrouded in darkness, the 
thunders speak forth in a mighty voice, the wreathed light- 
ning flashes its lurid light across the gloomy heavens, the 
storm rages in awful grandeur, the ship tumbles as a leaf 



184 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF HRAYER. 



in the wind, and the angry waves seem ready to swallow 
her up every moment. Once the old sailor could blas- 
pheme tbe name of his Maker, and mock at prayer ; but 
now he pours forth his soul in solemn prayer to God, 
earnestly begging for the forgiveness and mercy of heav- 
en. In affliction and danger, man seeks for relief in pray- 
er to God. How often have we seen the hardened sinner 
humbled under the afflicting hand of Divine Providence, 
and fly for relief in prayei to the Author of all good. 
Look at Voltaire ! In health he could blaspheme the 
name of his Maker, curse his Savior, and ridicule all ho- 
ly things ; but when the hand of disease was laid upon 
him, and the dark and gloomy night of death began to 
settle down upon his pathway, his feelings were changed, 
and the bitter and awful agony of his soul found utter- 
ance in solemn prayer. Frequently in sudden and immi- 
nent danger, men are engaged in prayer before they are 
aware of what they are doing. But men should not wait 
to have a spirit of prayer kindled in their hearts by some 
afflicting dispensation of Divine Providence, or the near 
approach of death. Prayer should be made a business of 
life. "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint." The 
Divine injunction is, "Pray without ceasing." Men 
ought to pray, because it is right, and not because their 
peculiar circumstances compel them to pray. 

Prayer is regarded by the great mass of Christians as an 
arbitrary appointment of God. It is generally thought 
that God requires man to pray, simply because he has a 
right to command, and make such appointments as he 
sees fit. This is a mistake. God never commands or 
makes an appointment because he has a right to com- 
mand, but because it i§ right in the nature of things, and 



THE PHILOSODRY OF PRAYER. 



185 



is calculated to enhance the happiness of man. Prayer 
has its foundation in the philosophy of things, and God 
commands man to pray, because it is calculated in its na- 
ture to bless and happify the soul. Prayer is in harmony 
with the moral and spiritual nature of man. 

There is one great principle in all the works of God. 
both in the kingdom of nature and grace, that strikes the 
reflecting mind with peculiar interest ; that is. in all the 
arrangements of infinite wisdom, the great leading object 
is the happiness of the universe of mind. This sublime 
and thrilling truth is written in living characters upon all 
nature. When we look abroad in the material universe, 
we read this great truth in all its arrangements. Ever) 
arrangement in the economy of nature is subservient to 
this sublime end. Every provision is calculated in its na- 
ture to promote the happiness of man. We read this 
truth in the arrangement of the seasons. The fresh and 

o 

blooming spring, the warm and glowing summer, the 
mild and lovely autumn, the cold and stormy winter — are 
all calculated to meet the wants, and promote the hap- 
piness of the denizens of earth. The atmosphere is ad- 
mirably adapted to the nature of man's lungs, suited to 
meet his wants, and promote his happiness. Light is 
most beautifully adapted to the nature of man's eye, and 
designed in its nature to promote his happiness. With- 
out th is element, the material universe would be shroud - 
ed in midnight gloom and darkness. We would be shut 
out forever from the enjoyment of the beautiful and di- 
versified scenery of earth, could not carry on the necessa- 
ry business of life, would be cut off from one of the rich- 
est sources of enjoyment, and all would languish and die. 
The atmosphere is endowed with an undulating qual> 



136 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER. 



ty,that it might waft to the ear the pleasures o f sound, and 
all the charms of music ; that we might listen to the music 
of the murmuring brook, the soft whispers of the gentle 
breeze, the soothing sound of the rivulet, the noise of the 
water-fall, the hum of bees, the buzz of insects, the chirp- 
ing of birds, the soft notes of the nightingale, the rich mel- 
ody of the songsters of the bower, the numerous modula- 
tions of the human voice, the soft notes of the piano forte, 
the solemn sounds of the organ, the roaring of the stormy 
ocean, the dashing ofthe mighty cataract, and the rolling 
thunder. The gift of speech is admirably adapted to pro- 
mote our happiness. By it we are enabled to convey our 
thoughts to other minds, to inspire them with new and 
sublime aspirations, to soothe the sorrowing soul, to com- 
fort the mourner, encourage the fainting, and arouse the 
careless to action. Thus we see that in all the arrange- 
ments of God, the happiness of his creatures is the great 
ultimatum. We read this sublime truth in the chancing 
seasons, the light of day, the darkness and gloom of night, 
the warm and genial rays of the sun, the music of the bees, 
the opening flower, the luxuriant harvest, the soft notes of 
nature's songsters, the refreshing shower, the murmuring 
brook, the flowing river, the mighty ocean, the roaring 
thunder, and the lightning's vivid flash. 

When we ascend from the natural to the spiritual, from 
the kingdom of nature to the kingdom ofgrace,we behold 
the same principle in all the arrangements and provisions 
in the economy of redemption. Every institution in the 
economy of salvation, is adapted in its nature to promote 
the happiness of man, to call out and cultivate the heart, 
to quicken into life and action the warmest feelings, af- 
fections, and sympathies of the soul ; to elevate, refine, 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER. 



187 



and purify the thoughts, to bring man nearer to God, and 
in closer union with heaven. 

There is nothing arbitrary in the kingdom of grace. 
Every institution and law has its foundation in the na- 
ture of things, and is admirably adapted to enhance the 
happiness of man. We read this great truth in the ordi- 
nance of prayer. Prayer has its foundation in the moral 
and spiritual nature of man, and is calculated to make 
man better, and promote his happiness. 

Prayer exerts a healthy influence over the soul. It 
tends to purify the heart, elevate and refine the thoughts, 
strengthen and enlarge the sympathies of the soul, sub- 
due the passions, and bring man into closer union with 
God. Prayer is calculated to subdue the raging passions 
of the human heart, and inspire man with a spirit of calm- 
ness. When man is aroused to anger, and his soul is 
torn by contending passions, let him retire to his closet, 
and approach the Throne of God in solemn prayer, and 
how soon his mind is calmed, and the raging passions of 
his soul hushed into silence. His anger vanishes before 
the spirit of prayer, as the darkness and gloom of night 
before the light of day. Those who live near to the 
Throne of Grace, and pray much, are almost invariably 
characterized by calmness of mind, and sweetness of tem- 
per. 

Prayer is calculated to beget and keep alive a spirit of 
love In the heart. We are commanded to pray for all 
men ; and obedience to this command is calculated to in- 
terest our minds in the happiness of our fellow men, and 
call out and cultivate a spirit of love for them. By dai- 
ly prayer for our fellow-men, we are led to think much 
about them, their situation, and their wants — and thus we 



188 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER. 



become necessarily interested in their salvation and hap- 
piness. It is impossible to pray earnestly and daily for 
the salvation of a man, without becoming deeply interest- 
ed in his welfare, and imbibing a spirit of love for him; 
and the more we pray for our brother, the more our inter- 
est and love for him increases. Prayer strengthens 
deepens, and enlarges the sympathies and affections of 
ihe soul. It cultivates and strengthens those ties of af- 
fection, sympathy, and love, that unite all Christian 
heaxts in one great fraternal bond. One great reason why 
there is no more love, affection, and sympathy among 
Christians than there is, is because they do not pray for 
one another as much as they ought. As the spirit of 
prayer declines in the Church, jealousies, envyings, diffi- 
culties and quarrels increase ; but as the spirit of prayer 
revives, all these things vanish from the Church, Chris- 
tians come nearer together, and their affection, sympathy, 
and love for "each other, increase. How often have we 
seen Churches that were rent and torn to pieces by the 
quarrels and contentions of its members, united, all its 
wounds healed, its difficulties settled, and peace and har- 
mony restored by the revival of a spirit of prayer in the 
Church. Sometimes when we visit the Throne of Grace, 
our hearts are filled with hatred and bitterness against 
some brother that has trespassed against us ; but this 
feeling vanishes before the spirit of earnest prayer — and, 
before we are done praying, it is all gone. This has been 
the experience of thousands. 

Grayer purifies and elevates the thoughts. It banishes 
unholy and impure thoughts from the mind, and leads the 
thoughts from debasing and groveling subjects to the con- 
templation of pure, holy, and elevating objects. It natu- 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER* 180 

rally leads the mind to reflect much upon God, to medi- 
tate upon his purity, holiness, benevolence, goodness, and 
love; and by beholding, we are changed into the same 
image, "from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the 
Lord." It takes the mind away from the groveling pur- 
suits and ends of earth, inspires it with new and holier 
aspirations, and places the thoughts upon God, 

The prayer meeting is a wise appointment of Infinite 
Wisdom, and one of the most essential means of grace. It 
is admirably adapted to cultivate and call out the heart- 
awaken and quicken into life and action the warmest af- 
fections, sympathies and desires of the soul. In the so- 
cial prayer meeting, Christians exert a mutual and healthy 
influence upon each other. Their prayers and exhorta- 
tions warm up their hearts, awaken the sympathies of 
the soul, calm the mind s purify the affections, elevate the 
thoughts, subdue the passions, strengthen the moral pow- 
er of the soul, and aid in establishing the kingdom of 
righteousness, love, and truth in the heart. It cultivates 
the moral strength of the soul, and the Christian goes 
forth from the prayer meeting to engage in the great and 
arduous duties of life, with new power and energy, 
''They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; 
they shall mount up with wings, as eagles ; they shall 
run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not 
faint." 

Family devotion exerts a healthy and saving influence 
upon the family circle. It subdues the rough and boister- 
ous passions of the heart, leads to a calm and thoughtful 
contemplation of the great subject of religion, awakens 
an interest in the mind, and lays the foundation of the 
future religious character of the child. The influence of 



190 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER. 



family devotion will follow the child through all coming 
time. He may wander far from his father's hearth — the 
scenes and associations of his youth may pass, in a great 
degree, from his mind — he may mingle in the pleasures 
and exciting pursuits of earth — he may disregard the 
claims of gratitude and justice, and steel his heart against 
the denunciations of Divine vengeance; but he can nev- 
er cast off the influence of the family devotion. It will 
follow him through all the changing scenes of life, and 
often in the midst of his sinful indulgence, the prayers 
of his father or mother will come up in his mind like 
kind angels from heaven, calling him in the melting 
voice of undying sympathy, to turn from his sinful way 
and seek the salvation of his soul. Nothing is so essen- 
tial to the peace, harmony, happiness, and salvation of 
the social circle as fervent family devotion ; and one of 
the most lovely and interesting scenes in this world of 
sin, is the family bowed around the altar of prayer, of- 
fering up their morning or evening orison. The impress- 
ions made upon the youthful mind by family devotion, 
can never be erased, and often in the rough voyage of 
life, when the storm and the tempest howl around, and 
the world looks dark and dreary, does the thoughts flash 
across the stormy ocean of time, and dwell with rapture 
upon those calm and holy scenes of devotion, when the 
family were gathered around the altar of prayer. I have 
known instances where the impression made upon the 
youthful mind by those scenes, has been buried beneath 
a flood of worldly cares for years ; but, in afterlife, some 
dispensation of God's providence called them up viv- 
idly before the mind, and led the soul to ^reflection and 
to God. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER. 



191 



It is obvious, from the above considerations, that pray- 
er has its foundation in the nature of things, and is cal- 
culated to bless and happify the soul of man — to make 
him better — to elevate him in the scale of being — to 
bring him in closer union with heaven and God. From 
this consideration, Christians should never suffer the fire 
of devotion to expire from the altar of their hearts. The 
life of the Christian should be a life of prayer : the open- 
ing morning, the evening twilight, and the silent watches 
of the night, should witness the ferver of his devotion. 
Like his Savior, he should frequently retire from the 
noise and tumult of the world, to hold sweet communion 
with the Father of his spirit in secret. He should pray 
without ceasing. 

We have every encouragement to pray : "For every 
one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth : 
and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." Our 
heavenly Father speaks to us from the mercy seat, as a 
kind and tender parent, inviting us in the affectionate 
voice of fraternal kindness to come to him, and he will 
supply all our wants. ! then, my Christian friends, 
let us live near the Throne of Grace — pray much, and 
we shall come off conquerors, and more than conquerors, 
through him that loved us and gave himself for us. 

"Almighty God, in humble prayer, 

To thee our souls we lift ; 
Do thou our waiting minds prepare 

For thy most needful gift. 

We ask not golden streams of wealth 

Along our path to flow ; 
We ask not undecaying health, 

Nor length of years below. 



192 



1' HE PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER. 



We ask not honors, winch an hour 

May bring and take away ; 
We ask not pleasure, pomp, and power, 

Lest we should go astray. 

We ask for wisdom : Lord, impart 
The knowledge how to live ; 

A wise and understanding heart 
To all before thee give'. y ' 



♦ 



DISCOUKSE XVI. 



The reasonableness of Christianity, 

l PETER 3 : 15. 

Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh 
;you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. 

In a system of religion professing to come from God, 
we would expect to find principles and institutions in 
harmony- with all the developments of Deity in the uni- 
verse. The most striking and interesting feature in the 
works of Infinite Wisdom, is their harmony and admira- 
ble adaptation to one great and sublime end— the culti- 
vation and development of mind. When we look abroad 
in the material universe, we behold the most beautiful 
order and perfect adaptation. We find no traces of an- 
tagonistical principles, All is harmony and peace, 
Here a great question arises in the mind— -does the princi- 
ples and teaching of Christianity harmonize with the 
teachings of nature ? — -or are their teachings antagonisti- 
cal ? I answer, that the teachings of nature and Chris- 
tianity perfectly harmonize. They are one. The only 
difference is, the light of revelation is superior to the 
light of nature. Where the light of nature fails, and 

darkness and gloom settles down upon our path 3 there 
~ 13 



194 THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 

Christianity sheds around us its hallowed light, and leads 
us on through the bewildering maze up to God and heav- 
en. My object, in the present discourse, is to establish 
the reasonableness of Christianity, and show its harmo- 
ny with all the developments of Deity. 

My first argument in support of the reasonableness of 
Christianity, is its adaptation to become a universal reli- 
gion. God is a universal Father. He is the Creator of 
all men. "He hath made of one blood all nations of 
men." Hence, in a system of religion professing to come 
from God, we would naturally expect to find evidence of 
its adaptation to the wants and capacity of all men — fea- 
tures which would fit it to become a universal religion. 
Now, is this true of the religion of the New Testament? 
Is it adapted to the wants of all men ? Do we find in it. 
the features of a universal religion ? I answer in the af- 
firmative. Here we find a system suited to the wants of 
the universal family of man—features that fit it to become 
a universal religion. 

The representations, that the New Testament give us 
of the character of God, are such as are calculated to draw 
to him the hearts and hopes of all men. In every other 
system of religion, Divinity was represented as sustaining 
a peculiar relation to the nation for whom the religion 
was designed. The Egyptians had their system of reli- 
gion, and in it the Divinity was represented as sustaining 
a relation to them, which he did not sustain to any other 
people. We find the same feature in every system of re- 
ligion entertained by man. There is nothing in any of 
the different religious systems of the earth to draw the 
hearts and hopes of all men to the Deity ; but the char- 
acter of God, as exhibited in the New Testament, is ad- 



THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 195 



mirably fitted to draw all hearts to him. He is not rep- 
resented as sustaining a peculiar relation to any particu- 
lar nation of the earth ; but is set forth as the great uni- 
versal Father of all, distributing his blessings with an im- 
partial hand. "He maketh his sun to rise on the evil 
and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and unjust." 
How different is this from the character of Jupiter. 
Saturn, Isis, Osiris, Typhon, and the long list of heathen 
Gods. At the throne of God all nations may bow, and 
find equal acceptance. 

Another feature of the Christian religion, as developed 
in the New Testament, which fits it for a universal religion 
is, that it is remarkably free from forms and ceremonies. 
Here we find none of the pomp, show, forms, and cum- 
brous ceremonies of the different religions of the earth ; 
but we find a beautiful simplicity. The great stress in 
all the religious systems of the earth, is laid on forms 
and ceremonies ; but in Christianity it is laid on the feel- 
ings, desires, affections, dispositions, and sentiments of 
the heart. It emphatically declares that the only true wor- 
ship is a worship "in spirit and in truth," The religion 
of the Gospel enjoins but two positive institutions, and 
these are so simple and comprehensive that they may be 
observed by all men. The religion of the New Testa- 
ment is simple and comprehensive in its nature, and so 
remarkably free from forms, rituals, and ceremonies, that 
it is suited to all people, of all climes, and under all cir- 
cumstances. Christianity is a plain, perspicuous, com- 
prehensive system of religion, suited to the comprehen- 
sion of all minds, and the condition of all men, in all 
climes. In a religion coming from the universal Father 
of all human beings, we would expect to find the clear- 



19G THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIAXITf . 



ness and brightness of the sun, that it may shine opoo 
all ranks of society — the high and the low— the learned 
and the unlearned. In such a religion we would expec> 
a system of Divine truth, that all could comprehend, and 
teaching that would come home to every heart. Such is 
the religion of the New Testament, Here is a granci, 
beautiful, and sublime system of religion, suited to all 
minds. Whilst the teaching of the New Testament un- 
folds new and sublime truths to the cultivated mind, it 
stoops to the capacity and instructs the mast uncultiva- 
ted. It speaks to all men with the same voice, of the 
same God upon whom all are dependent, of the same 
duties that all should perform, of the same sin that bur- 
dens all consciences, of the seme sorrows that pierce all 
hearts, of that death that terminates all lives, and of the 
same great and incomprehensible future to which all 
minds, of all nations, and all ages, have ever turned with 
deep and inquiring anxiety. It addresses the same doc - 
trine, the same admonitions,- the same precepts, the same 
consolations, the same promises, the same hopes to all 
minds. It warns of dangers to which all are exposed, 
enjoins virtues that all should practice, and offers consc - 
lations which all at some seasons need. Its spirit cn 
universal love and benevolence is suited to all nations 
of all climes. It is obvious, from these considerations 
that the religion of the New Testament is fitted to be- 
come a universal religion, and is admirably adapted to 
the wants of all men, of all nations, and of all climes. 
Here we see the reasonableness of Christianity, and its 
harmony with the character of God, as developed in the 
material universe. 



THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 



197 



When wa look around us in the world of mankind, 
we behold a vast disproportion between the capacious 
mind of man, and the sources of enjoyment by which he 
is surrounded. There is nothing in all the realm of na- 
ture to meet the large desires of the immortal mind. 
Earthly possessions do not meet the wants and satisfy the 
desires of the souL An increase of possession only en- 
larges the desires of the human heart. We sometimes 
imagine that the possession of such and such objects, 
will satisfy the mind. We acquire them, but the mind 
is still unsatisfied, and its wants unmet. The mind is 
constantly reaching after something higher than the ob- 
jects of earth. "Man never is, but always to be blest." 
Learning cannot satisfy the wants of the mind. Learn- 
ing, instead of satisfying the desires of mind, enlarges its 
powers, capacities, and desires. Now, in a religion pro- 
fessing to come from God, we would expect to find pro- 
visions suited to the wants and adapted to the large de- 
sires of the human heart. Is this true of the religion of 
the Gospel ? Do we here find provisions suited to the 
wants and desires of the soul ? Here is revealed an un- 
changeable and infinite Being of boundless perfections, 
on which the mind may repose, and in whom it may find 
excellencies wide enough for its ever enlarging capacities. 
Here is unfolded an ocean of thought, that the most capa- 
cious mind can never fathom ; a field of knowledge whose 
boundaries the most cultivated mind can never reach — a 
mine of knowledge that can never be exhausted — a treas- 
ure of gold that can never be expended — a glorious and 
sublime future, that will more than meet the most enlar- 
ged desires of the most capacious mind. This clearly 
demonstrates the reasonableness of Christianity. 



198 THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 

The moral constitution of man is such, that his hap- 
piness necessarily depends upon righteousness of life and 
benevolence of heart. When he cherishes a spirit of love, 
goodness, and benevolence in his soul, and his actions are 
in harmony with his knowledge of duty, peace, happiness, 
and complacency of conscience follow. Man's moral 
constitution is such, that happiness and complacency of 
conscience necessarily follow goodness of heart, and ho- 
liness of life. A single deviation from the path of known 
duty, or the indulgence of a wicked feeling towards any 
of God's creatures, will destroy the happiness of mind, and 
disturb the complacency of the conscience. Even the in- 
dulgence of a feeling of hatred or envy towards an enemy, 
will destroy the soul's;happiness. Such being the moral 
constitution that God has given to man, we would expect 
to find in a religion coming from him, a system of instruc- 
tion in harmony with it. Now is this true of the teach- 
ings of the Gospel? Do we find in it a system of in- 
struction in harmony with the moral constitution of man ? 
I answer in the affirmative. The New Testament enjoins 
strict obedience to the will of God, the discharge of all 
known duty, and the cultivation of a spirit of goodness, 
love, forgiveness, and benevolence. Its teachings are in 
strict harmony with the moral nature of man. Here 
again we behold the reasonableness of Christianity. 

In the mind of man, we behold a principle of endless 
progression. When we look into the soul of man, we are 
struck with the infinite superiority of the mind to the bo- 
dy — of the ever-active soaring intellect, to those limbs and 
organs that tend to the earth. The body soon comes to 
maturity and physical perfection. But the mind perpet- 
ually expands. Cultivation instead of exhausting its 



THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 190 

powers, only develops them. The powers of the mind 
are enlarged and strengthened by cultivation ; and the fa r- 
ther man advances in wisdom and knowledge, the strong- 
er the powers of the mind become, and the more exten- 
sive the intellectual field that opens before him. In the very 
nature of the soul we read its endless progression. Such 
being the nature of the soul that God has given to man, 
we would expect to find in a system of religion professing 
to come from him, principles in harmony with it. Is this 
true of the Gospel ? All who are acquainted with its 
teachings must answer in the affirmative. Christianity 
places an infinite value upon the soul, and throws entire 
contempt upon the body and its interests, in comparison 
with the soul and its eternal interests. The provisions of 
Christianity are admirably adapted to call out and culti- 
vate the intellectual powers of man, and carry him for- 
ward in his ever-onward march. The Gospel reveals a 
bright and glorious future, where the powers of the soul 
shall be fully developed, and the immortal mind shall 
ever increase in wisdom, knowledge, virtue and goodness, 
and shall ever advance towards the great fountain of in- 
finite perfection. Thus we see the principles and teach- 
ings of Christianity are in harmony with the nature of man. 

We behold in man a principle of sociality — qualities 
that form him for society and association with his fellow 
beings. Man is formed for society, and he cannot be hap- 
py without it. He is so constituted that one of the rich- 
est sources of his earthly happiness is the social circle. 
Is the teaching of Christianity in harmony with the social 
nature of man? Perfectly. Here we find institutions 
and teachings that are calculated to refine and cultivate 
the social powers of the soul, and to unite all men in one 



200 THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 



great family — one great brotherhood. It slays the enmi- 
ty, destroy? the prejudices, and strengthens the sociai 
powers of the heart, it breaks down all partition walls 
in society, arid inspires the soul with a spirit of universal 
love and good will. It makes friends of the most impla - 
cable enemies* 

When we look mto the soul, w^ behold stains of Bin 
fears and forebodin-gs of guilt. The moral and spiritual 
beauty of the soul is marred by sin, and its godlike powers 
are perverted by iniquity. Such being the state of man,, 
we would expect to find in a system of religion, coming 
from the Author of all good, provision mads for the re 
generation of the soul — rihe redemption of man- from sin — 
and aid granted' to strengthen the soul in its struggles fo, 
the mastery of evil, and the attainment of virtue. Is this 
true of the religion of Christ ? To the very letter. Here 
we find ample provision made for the regeneration of the 
soul ; blood sealed promises of forgiveness, and proffer.;; 
of divine aid to strengthen the moral powers of the souL 
Christianity proposes nothing short of the complete regen- 
eration of the soul, its change into the moral image o£ 
God, the full development of all its powers, and i ts hap,~ 
piness in the bright realms of unfading day. 

When we look into th@. soul we behold a principle of 
activity. The- nature of ma^'s mind is such, that he must 
be employed, he ca,nnot remain unemployed. Without 
employment h,e is restless and unhappy. A secret, inward 
power is perpetually urging him onward, and if he m 
not employed in something good — in works of benevo- 
lence and virtue, he is engaged^ in works of darkness* 
Now are the teachings and principles of Christianity iu 
harmony with this principle o.f the soul ? A^e 1<hey caU 



THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 201 



eulated to drive man from the walks of life, and crush 
this principle of activity in the soul ; or are they calcu* 
lated to call it out and cultivate it, and direct the mind 
in useful fields of labor ? The principles of Christianity 
are calculated to awaken and quicken into life the prin- 
ciples of activity in the mind. The gospel opens a vast 
field of useful and interesting labor to the Christian, and 
enjoins it as an imperative duty upon the Christian, to 
be always engaged in doing good— in laboring to pro- 
mote the happiness of the human family. Thus we see 
that the principles and precepts of Christianity are in per- 
fect harmony with the nature of man. 

The more we study the works of nature, the farther we 
extend our inquiries, and push our investigations, the more- 
we are impressed with the great and sublime truth, tha: 
44 all are but parts of one stupendous whole"— that they 
are the products of one wisdom, power, and goodness-. 
The perfect harmony of the works of nature, and the 
wisdom devloped in the universe, clearly evince the 
great truth that the universe is the work of Infinite in- 
telligence. This thrilling truth is written in characters 
of living light upon the starry w 7 alls of th% universe, 
Are the teaching of Christianity in harmony with this 
great truth? Perfectly, The gospel teaches us that the- 
universe, with all its myriads of inhabitants, is the pro- 
ductions of one Infinite mind, 

When we look around us in the economy &f nature, 
we behold evidence of impartial goodness and love. God 
sends his rain and sunshine on the evil and the good* 
confines his blessings to no particular nation; or favored 
people, but distributes them with an impartial hand up- 
on aU men. The sun sheds his genial rays impartially, 



202 THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 



upon all ; the refreshing showers fall alike upon the 
fields of all ; the gentle zephyers fan the fevered brow 
of the poor man as well as the rich; nature opens her 
rich stores of wealth alike to all men. Here we behold 
the impartial goodness of God. Now, are the principles 
and provisions of Christianity in harmony with this great 
universal truth ? Perfectly. It shines upon the pages 
of holy writ with all the brightness of the sun, In the 
provisions of the Gospel, we read the universal love and 
benevolence of God. The blessings of Christianity are 
free and impartial as the sunshine and rain. Here, Chris- 
tianity and nature perfectly harmonize. 

In the material universe we behold one great and stu- 
pendous system — one great whole. Nothing strikes the 
reflecting mind with greater force than this sublime truth. 
In the universe of matter nothing stands alone. The 
lovely rose that adorns the garden, sustains an intimate 
relation to the earth, the air, the clouds and the sunshine. 
The vast and stupendous worlds that roll through the ex- 
tensive wilds of ether, are dependent upon each other, 
and are held in their orbits by mutual influence. From 
the humblest flower up to the tallest tree that adorns the 
forest — from the grain of sand up to the ponderous worlds 
that plough their way through the unmeasured fields of 
space — there is a complete system of dependence. Har- 
mony is the great law of the universe. Here the teach- 
ings of Christianity and the material universe harmonize. 
They perfectly agree. The great object of Christianity is 
to bring the intelligent creature of God into the same 
harmony, peace, and union, that binds the material uni- 
verse together — to unite all in one great universal broth- 
erhood — to hush into eternal silence the clangor of arms, 



THE REASONABLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 203 



and the thunder of war — to bring all into harmony with 
God aad Heaven. 

In nature and providence, notwithstanding all their 
beauty and harmony, we behold many perplexing aspects. 
Here are mingled sunshine and storm, success and ad- 
versity, health and sickness, love and hatred, war and 
peace, pleasure and pain, abundance and want, life and 
death. These to a careless observer, appear to be mixed 
up without any aim or design. Reason earnestly desires 
a solution of this great problem, the discovery of some 
great centralizing truth around which the seemingly dis- 
cordant elements revolve. Christianity unties the gordi- 
an knot, solves the problem, and unfolds to the mind, in 
the midst of seeming discord, a great universal system 
of harmony, union, and benevolence, a great central 
truth around which all revolve, as unity of purpose in 
the midst of seemiug hostile dispensations of Providence 
— a future and everlasting state beyond the grave where 
the gloom of earth shall no longer shroud the mind in 
darkness; but we shall know even as we are known. 
"We now see through a glass darkly : but then face to 
face." 

It has long been thought that the teachings of reason 
and revelation are at war with each other ; but this is a 
mistake. They perfectly harmonize. They are one. 
Christianity is the key that unlocks the mysteries of the 
universe, and reveals the great and sublime purposes of 
God. 

ft 'Tis revelation that satisfies all doubts, 
And solves all mysteries except its own, 
And so illuminates the path of life 
That fools discover it and stray no more." 



204- THE B E \ >ON A IDLENESS OF CHRISTIANITY. 



Revelation scatters the dark clouds that hung over the 
past, reveals the birth of time, the creation of the world, 
the formation and fall of man, the origin of evil, and 
contains the long and unbroken chain of prophecies, mir- 
acles, and wonders, that reach through the period of 
tour thousand years. It dispels the darkness and gloom 
that hung around the tomb, and reveals a glorious and 
sublime future where the pure and holy shall enjoy the 
society of the holy angels, the companionship of Christ, 
m-d the smiles of our Heavenly Father. 



DISCOUKSE XVIL 



THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHRISTIAN'S LOVE 

i john 4 : 19. 
We love him* because he first ioved us, 

It was the doctrine of some of the ancient philosophers, 
that God is in no way interested in the affairs of earth, 
and is entirely indiferent to the wants of man. This is 
a wrong view of the character of God, and tends to sink 
him in the affections of his creatures, Even the light of 
nature gives us higher and more exalted views of the di- 
vine character. When we look abroad in the universe 
of God, we behold a vast magazine of the richest provi - 
sions for the wants of man. Every thing speaks of the 
goodness of God. The falling leaf, the rushing stream, 
the gentle zepyrs of summer, the bleak winds of winter, 
the mighty ocean, and the bellowing thunder, all speak of 
the goodness of God, The goodness of God is stamped 
upon every thing by which we are surrounded ; and when 
we turn from the beautiful scenery of earth 3 and look 
abroad through the windows of science into the vast em- 
pire of Jehovah, we behold it written in characters of light 
upon the starry walls of the universe. 



20G THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHRISTIAN'S LOVE. 

There is nothing that transpires without the knowledge 
and permission of God. Every thing is under his control, 
from the falling of a sparrow up to the revolutions of em- 
pires, and the fall of kingdoms. He is enthroned in heav- 
en as a kind father, scattering his blessings throughout the 
universe. He openeth his hand and satisfieth the wants 
of every living creature. Our love for the divine charac- 
ter grows out of the goodners exhibited in the works of 
God. "We love him because he first loved us." 

Man is a being of a three-fold nature, to- wit, — animal, 
intellectual, and spiritual: and to render him happy, he 
must have animal, intellectual, and spiritual food. In 
each of these departments God has richly provided for 
the wants of man, Man is so constituted that he must 
have a regular supply of food to perpetuate his life. His 
physical organization requires it. God has richly provi- 
ded for the wants of man's physical nature. The world 
is a vast magazine of provisions. God has so constituted 
us that the gratification of the demands of our physical 
nature is a source of exquisite happiness. What is more 
pleasant and agreeable than to eat when we are hungry, 
and ro drink when we are dry ? In this we see the good- 
ness of God ; for he could have constituted us so, that to 
eat would have been unpleasant, and to drink, a source 
of misery. All arrangements of the physical economy 
of man, are designed to promote his happiness. 

Man possesses a mind of the most gigantic powers. 
The mind has its wants, and no man can be intellectually 
happy unless these wants are supplied. God has made 
rich provisions for the intellectual wants of man. An 
unbounded field of wisdom and knowledge lies open be- 
fore him, through which he may travel, as long as eterni- 



THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHRISTIAN'S LOVE. 207 

ty shall last, without reaching its boundaries. The vast 
magazine of intellectual food can never be exhausted. 
The farther man advances, the wider the field opens be- 
fore him ; and the deeper he digs, the richer the mine. 
Much has been accomplished, but much yet remains to be 
accomplished. Many of the most important sciences are 
yet in their infancy. Man has laid the rock-built pyra- 
mid of science deep in the bowels of the earth, slowly, 
and with untiring industry. He has rolled up the huge 
rocks until the mystic pile lifts its lofty head to the skies 
— and, from its towering summit, he looks abroad upon 
the vast universe of worlds. Man has penetrated the 
bowels of the earth, and brought forth her hidden treas- 
ures, has arrested the thunder bolts of heaven, and made 
the lightning his servant — -has measured the sun and the 
planets, meted out the the distance of the stars, and has 
followed the blazing comet in its flight across the unmeas- 
ured fields of space — but man is yet on the threshold of 
the great temple of knowledge. 

There is a principle of universality in man. He loves 
the beautiful and sublime. He loves to contemplate the 
extensive plain and the mighty ocean. He gazes with de- 
light upon the mountain scenery, and listens with admi- 
ration to the beliowings of the thunder-storm. He loves 
to wander amid the beautiful scenery of the forest, and 
listen to the rich melody of its feathered songsters. All 
these things have their charms — but the mind soon be- 
comes weary with contemplating one object, however 
grand it may be. The mind is too vast to be tied down 
to one object alone. God has made the beautiful and in- 
finite variety of scenery by which we are surrounded, to 
meet the wants of the soul, and exhibit his goodness and 
glory. 



20'8 THE FOUNDATION t)F 1 HE CHklsTlAN*S LOVE. 



The most glorious and sublime exhibition of the love 
of God to man, is the gift of his Son, to die for our sins, 
to redeem Us from the slavery of sin, and prepare us (ot 
heaven. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but 
that he loved us, and senl his Son, to be the propitiation 
for our sins,** 

The foundation of our loVe to God is his goodness. 
u We love him, because he first loved us." Love is a 
principle in man, founded upon real of supposed lovely 
ness in the object loved. Why does man love any object ? 
Why does a man love his wife? Because he sees, or 
thinks he does, something lovely in her person or char- 
acter. Why does the man of pleasure loVe his sinful 
enjoyments? Because he sees something which, to his 
mind, appears lovely. It is impossible for a man to love 
an object wdiich to him has nothing lovely or good in it. 
We cannot love an unlovely object. It is impossible ill 
the nature of things. 

All happy obedience must spring from love. Obe- 
dience to art object loved, blesses and happifies the 
spirit, if the conscience approves cf the object loved 
and obeyed. The obedience of the slave to his mas- 
ter is productive of unhappiiiess, because it springs 
from a principle of fear. If I were compelled to 
obey a being that I did not love, it would render me un- 
happy — but to obey a being that I loved, would happify 
the mind. The Christian is happy in obeying God, be- 
cause he loves him ; and his conscience approves of the 
object loved, and the laws obeyed. Hence, said David, 
^ Great peace have they which love thy law r ." 



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